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Don't get me wrong, I am all for FIRE, which is why I chose the career path that I have. I could have retired 3 years ago after brokering one lucrative patent d

by iplaw 10y ago

Don't get me wrong, I am all for FIRE, which is why I chose the career path that I have. I could have retired 3 years ago after brokering one lucrative patent deal and collecting my brokerage fee. But earning $200k will not get you there without living a miserable existence.

dlp211 10y ago
This is another lie. I make $150k/yr and could retire in a decade (barring a black swan event) and I just started my career 2 years ago. I live in a luxury townhome that is less than a 15 minute commute by bike or car to work, a trader joe's that is literally around the corner, and more restaurants then I can count on my hands within a 5 minute walk. I want for nothing, drive a BMW 5 series, I have a second car that is an older Accord. And I do it with a wife and 2 kids and we vacation twice a year, and I'm probably in a top 5 COL areas. You have no idea what a miserable existence is and you have either always been privileged and never knew it, or you have forgotten what it means to live a miserable existence.
- iplaw 10y ago
  Probably the latter, I've forgotten what it means to live a miserable existence. I grew up in a family of four with a combined income of $30k, which linearly grew over 15 years to $100k and plateaued while I was in high school. It wasn't miserable, but I was sheltered by my parents. Bills were stressful. While I was in law school and my girlfriend was in medical school, we were pretty damn broke and racking up debt. That was miserable. Fast forward. I start working, and she is a resident. We're making $200k combined and it's a struggle. Student loan debt allowed us to realize these salaries, but they also inhibit financial growth. Trust me, there were no luxurious purchases or apartments. And then ... I brokered a deal that netted me 8-figures and paid off all debt, bought a house, etc. The end. For others making $200k while paying off student loan debt, the struggle is real. You'd be able to considering focusing on retirement after 10, 15, or even 30 years of student loan repayment. But I figure that the LAST thing a person would want to do is willingly continue to divert large sum of income to future financial well being after so many years of pinching.

by iplaw 10y ago

dlp211 10y ago

This is another lie. I make $150k/yr and could retire in a decade (barring a black swan event) and I just started my career 2 years ago. I live in a luxury townhome that is less than a 15 minute commute by bike or car to work, a trader joe's that is literally around the corner, and more restaurants then I can count on my hands within a 5 minute walk. I want for nothing, drive a BMW 5 series, I have a second car that is an older Accord. And I do it with a wife and 2 kids and we vacation twice a year, and I'm probably in a top 5 COL areas. You have no idea what a miserable existence is and you have either always been privileged and never knew it, or you have forgotten what it means to live a miserable existence.

iplaw 10y ago
Probably the latter, I've forgotten what it means to live a miserable existence. I grew up in a family of four with a combined income of $30k, which linearly grew over 15 years to $100k and plateaued while I was in high school. It wasn't miserable, but I was sheltered by my parents. Bills were stressful. While I was in law school and my girlfriend was in medical school, we were pretty damn broke and racking up debt. That was miserable. Fast forward. I start working, and she is a resident. We're making $200k combined and it's a struggle. Student loan debt allowed us to realize these salaries, but they also inhibit financial growth. Trust me, there were no luxurious purchases or apartments. And then ... I brokered a deal that netted me 8-figures and paid off all debt, bought a house, etc. The end. For others making $200k while paying off student loan debt, the struggle is real. You'd be able to considering focusing on retirement after 10, 15, or even 30 years of student loan repayment. But I figure that the LAST thing a person would want to do is willingly continue to divert large sum of income to future financial well being after so many years of pinching.