Hate Mail!
I started blogging over 3 years ago to document my journey to financial independence/early retirement. I thought it would be fun to hold myself publicly accountable and at the same time, share my adventure with others. With a strong market tailwind at my back, I accomplished my financial goal recently and ahead of my timeline.
Blogging here on 1500 Days has been a wonderful experience. I have become a better writer, gained knowledge and best of all, forged new friendships. I regret nothing about it. However, readers still argue with me occasionally. Much of the dissent comes in the form of emails or comments like this sarcastic bit I received recently:
I always enjoy these articles written by people who make good money by working with computers or who are doctors. Good luck becoming a millionaire with normal income.
I am not offended by these arguments. Maybe this person has a point? I earn healthy income as a computer programmer. My wife took time off to raise our children, but now is working and earns a nice paycheck as well. I live a charmed life.
However, I take issue with one word in Mr. Complainy’s comment: normal
Normal? No thanks.
Normal is a loaded word and I don’t like it one bit. Mr. Complainy is correct. If you live a normal life, you’re going to have a difficult time getting anything but normal results. Here is how to live a normal life:
- Buy a new car every 3 years.
- Put 10% of your income into your 401(k).
- Stop for donuts every Friday on your 2 mile drive to work.
- Work exactly 8 hours per day.
- Watch 18 hours of TV every week.
- As soon as you get a raise:
- Upgrade the car (it hasn’t quite been 3 years, but you deserve it!)
- Spend $5,000 on a fancy-pants vacation.
- Upgrade to a bigger home every once in a while. It will have rooms you hardly ever use, but again, you deserve it!
In my book, a normal life is a nightmarish life. To hell with with that. Don’t be normal:
- Grow your brain by reading challenging books and building crazy shit out in the garage.
- Put 50% or 75% of your income into savings and investments.
- Work harder than anyone else around you. It isn’t hard to stand out.
- Building on the above, figure out some passive income strategies. This shit isn’t that hard.
- When you do get promoted with a fat raise, live exactly how you did before. Save that extra money. Be the Millionaire next Door.
- Defy convention. Know that you don’t have to do something just because that’s how it’s always been done.
- Keep your body in top condition through exercise and eating right.
- Take long walks with your family and leave the phone behind.
- Take long walks by yourself. You’ll be amazed at what your brain will do.
- Strive for simplicity. More possessions means more time taking care of them.
- Never forget that time, not money, is your most valuable asset.
More on How to Not be Normal
How does one get ahead then? At the base of a well lived life, there are three basic principles: Hard work, Simplicity/Efficiency and Self-control:
Hard Work: It isn’t difficult to stand out. Work a little later. Think a little deeper and with creativity when confronted with a problem. Get a side gig to earn some extra money.
Simplicity/Efficiency: A simple, efficient life is a good life. Why take on more than you have to? Why drive to work in a new SUV when a Corolla (or bicycle or bus) will do? Why do two people need a 4,000 square foot home? Buy what you need and stop there. I’m basically rebranding frugality here.
Self-control: This may be the most important one and it applies to all parts of life. Exhibit control when it comes to food and you’ll stay fit. Resist the urge for shiny new things and you’ll accumulate wealth.
Money: Work hard and live right; the money will follow. So, what do you do with it? You don’t have to eat rice and beans or live in your parents’ basement, but frugality is a powerful tool. Find your frugal balance and start to accumulate wealth:
- Max out your 401(k) account.
- If your current car works fine, there is no need to upgrade. It worked in college and it works fine now.
- Pay no attention to what the neighbors or anyone else thinks. Would you rather keep up with the Joneses or blow them out of the water?
I have another question for you; would you rather work 40 hours per week or let your money work for you? Invest those dollars wisely and let them replace your income. Get that snowball growing.
Perhaps the best thing about having money is that it frees you from having to worry about having money. Think of money as nothing more than a tool to buy freedom.
Freedom: Maybe you love your job and want to work forever. Never forget that even if your job gives you great joy, circumstances change and one day, you may find yourself wanting to hike Europe for a year or pursue a hobby full-time. One never knows where the ebb and flow of life may lead. Besides, is it really your goal to live in a cube farm for 40 hours a week, 48 weeks a year for 40 years? Here is the horrifying math:
48 weeks * 40 hours * 40 years = 76,800 hours
In. A. Cube.
No thanks.
There isn’t one activity that is so enjoyable that I want to spend 76,800 hours performing it. Thinking about my job, the idea of spending that many hours behind a computer is a nightmare.
Once you have that Freedom, all kinds of wonderful things may follow:
- Travel the world.
- Write a book.
- Get in the best shape of your life.
- Volunteer.
- Spend more time with loved ones.
- Read.
- Go for a walk on Tuesday at 2 in the afternoon.
- Work, but work at things you love, free from the constraint and requirement of having to earn money.
- Follow your passions instead of a paycheck.
Each person has his or her own idea of what freedom means to them and I’ll be honest, I don’t have mine completely figured out. And that’s part of the fun. A book with surprise twists and turns is more rewarding. There is one thing I am certain of though and it is this:
I don’t want to wait until I’m 70, 62 or even 50 to write my freedom chapters.
To Hell with Normal
Let’s review Mr. Complainy’s comment one more time:
I always enjoy these articles written by people who make good money by working with computers or who are doctors. Good luck becoming a millionaire making normal money.
If I were to meet Mr. Complainy today, I’d tell him*:
There is nothing normal about living a great life.
Because:
Normal effort gets normal results.
And then I’d ask him:
Why the hell would you want to be normal?
The world is huge and wonderful and beautiful. There are so many awesome places to see and interesting people to meet. So much knowledge to gain. So many adventures. So many books to read. So many things to build. So many ways to give back.
There are limitless ways to live if you play the game of life right. It is amazing and overwhelming and overwhelmingly great.
Don’t be normal. Be extraordinary.
*If I were to meet Mr. Complainy, I’d also tell him that I, in no way, shape or form, had a head start. My childhood was marred by a father who drank too much and my family lived a lower middle-class lifestyle. More of my friends went to jail than to college.
I was the first one in my family to graduate college, and I accumulated $60,000 in debt getting there.
However, it’s never been about where you’re from, but where you take your life. Never let your past be an excuse or an anchor. With determination and dreams, anything is possible.
Join the 10s who have signed up already!
Subscribing will improve your life in incredible ways*.
*Only if your life is pretty bad to begin with.
Yeah, normal sucks. I can sympathize with earning an average income though because, by definition, a lot of people have to earn income that is average, and a lot will earn below that average, too. But for the individual who wants to do better than that, only she or he can make it happen.
Done by Forty recently posted…Did We Just Walk into a Child Labor Shop?
Hmm, I was expecting a really nasty email! The email you highlighted had no swear words, didn’t directly out you down, and you already have a $1M portfolio! I should share you some of my nasty emails so you can see the difference!
You got fan mail is say! 🙂
Sam
Financial Samurai recently posted…The Upside To A Long Drawn Out Mortgage Refinance
Ha ha, I get ones with f-bombs and also ones encouraging me to perform sexual acts on. I don’t want to give them the gratification of a post!
Hell yeah Mr. 1500! You said it right! To hell with normal. I’ve been labeled a weirdo most of my life because I do things differently…and I don’t give a damn.
Nasty emails and negative labels have only helped me gain my financial freedom.
Ignore the nasty emails. Read the love letters (like this one) more than once!
Mr. Tako @ Mr. Tako Escapes recently posted…Never Pay Retail
Right on my Cephalopodic friend. It’s the weird ones that change the world! Stay weird always!
Normal is such a loaded term. There is such a range of possibility in human difference. It’s wonderful. It probably does not hurt that one of my favorite memoirs is “Why Be Happy When You Can Be Normal?”
People need to find what works for their version of a lovely life and stop worrying about others. All this with the caveat that I am actively learning a skill to double my income, because I want a higher income to ramp up my savings and get me out of work I don’t like.
I want to be normal on a beach in Bali for a year. Or maybe walk through Ireland while my legs allow it.
ZJ Thorne recently posted…Treat Your Employees Well – The Easiest Investment
“I want to be normal on a beach in Bali for a year.”
Nice. That wouldn’t be bad. Not bad at all…
Haha, if people got out more often, they’d quickly realize there’s no such thing as normal. But you do make an excellent call to be extraordinary! I say live modestly and eat chocolate chip cookies. 🙂
Chocolate chip cookies!!!
And now im stopping on the way home from work for CCC’s.
One more vote for chocolate chip cookies!! I don’t know how Michael managed to divert my attention from this inspiring post towards sweets. It’s kind of like Homer Simpson always sleep walking to eat donuts from the kitchen … But I digress.
You seem pretty normal in the FI community though….. 😉
Team CF recently posted…The K9 Experience
Ha, we are all a bit abnormal, right? This is a good thing.
I remember when I first found 1500days, the post I stumbled upon was one very similar to this. Life has changed a huge amount for me in my 18 months of reading, I’ve quit my job, become a director of my own company, bought a house and began living a very frugal lifestyle. It’s always nice to come back to a post that reminds me why I started this journey in the first place, and for me it was this simple quote.
“Money is not your most valuable commodity. Time is”
Thank you 1500days, for never being normal.
TMM – Cora Harrison recently posted…GET O2 PRIORITIES WITHOUT BEING AN O2 CUSTOMER
Thanks Cora! Keep killing it in life!
Thanks, Mr 1500 for this article, i also dream of quitting the 9-5 job. I truly believe, that this is possible, also with a normal income. I started learning php and mysql and built my first projects in 2012… now, earnings start coming in. Keep on fightin’ for fire! (i´m a FIRE fighter, haha).
Nice work! Those 1s and 0s can make you a lot more 1s and 0s: $1,000,000
It’s even crazier to me because I’ve literally seen my parents get out of “normal”. They went from being on WIC when I was born (teenage parents too), to working hard and getting better jobs until one would pay for some college, and then pay for an MBA, etc. etc. If you’re spending time focusing on all the reasons that you can’t do something or the reasons that life is holding you back, you’re probably going to have a bad time no matter what your income is.
Chris @ Flipping a Dollar recently posted…Car Boot Sale – UK Flipper Jude Guest Post
That is one helluva transformation. Awesome!
Truth: “If you’re spending time focusing on all the reasons that you can’t do something or the reasons that life is holding you back, you’re probably going to have a bad time no matter what your income is.”
There are too many people that are living the “normal” life. As soon as the get a pay increase their first thought is how can we spend it. A new car, vacation, etc. No thank you.
If this is the nastiest comment or e-mail you receive. I may have to make a fake account and drop a gem on you. 🙂
Brian @DebtDiscipline recently posted…Whatâs in your Nest Egg?
Oh no, they get much nastier…
I would have also taken issue with the statement “becoming a millionaire” –
becoming
noun
1. the process of coming to be something or of passing into a state.
None of what you write about is “passing” into a state or even coming into being something. You don’t become a millionaire. You become a hard-working, efficient, self-controlled person. As a side effect, you’ll also end up with a lot of money in the bank.
Love this: “You don’t become a millionaire. You become a hard-working, efficient, self-controlled person. As a side effect, you’ll also end up with a lot of money in the bank.”
Ugh. I hate it when people say things like that – partly because I used to say things like that! Other people had it easier – higher incomes, a spouse, perfect health, you name it.
Then I realized that to someone else, I am a person who has it easier. It’s all relative, right? I think we need to spend more time counting our own blessings rather than everyone else’s.
I don’t have a six figure income and can’t save 50%, but I can continually push myself to do better and blogs like this inspire me. So thank you 🙂
“It’s all relative, right? I think we need to spend more time counting our own blessings rather than everyone else’s.”
Hell yeah! If you’re reading this blog, you’re probably living in a first world country and life is pretty great. Life is good.
This!
I’ve just written about how it’s good to realise how lucky most of us are and to not let our successes get too much to our heads. The flip side of that of course is that plenty of people with relative great advantages are still complaining gits and expect everything to be handed to them on a plate.
Great post as usual 1500 and I would love to read some of the real hate mail you get. Not to be nasty but just to laugh at them! 🙂
theFIREstarter recently posted…what’s luck got to do with it?
Excellent response and I’m glad to see frugality rebranded more towards simplicity/efficiency/optimization. I’m not sure why frugal can be seen as a negative word, but I think its obvious for people people to see efficiency as a positive thing.
That is some scary math! To think, many past generations didn’t have the benefits we have today so they didn’t even have much of a retirement at all.
Even if we see more people retire just 10 years earlier, that still leaves about 19k EXTRA hours. That many hours put in by early retirees towards the projects they want is an inspiring thought.
Matt @ Distilled Dollar recently posted…How One Dress Shirt Set Me Back $300
Scary indeed! And that doesn’t include the time getting to/from the cube hell!
Why is frugal such a dirty word? Never figured that out.
Cheap, yah, well that can be annoying. Going to applebee’s with your friends and not paying your share of the tip… that’s cheap. Living below your means and being responsible with your “purchases” is frugal. Yet cheap is more acceptable than frugal. SMH i dont get it.
I wouldn’t even bother responding to a comment like that. Who knows where he’s coming from, but he sounds a bit sad and apathetic.
The Green Swan recently posted…Interview with Mrs. Green Swan
This person might be at the beginning of their FI journey and doesn’t realize yet that income is important, but savings rate, investments and starting early are altogether more important.
I also started with a below ‘normal’ income but that’s the drive to do better than normal that will get me to a 1M$!
TheMoneyMine recently posted…Is Your Money Working For You? (and How To Check)
Normal… No thanks! Like you I didn’t start off on a great path, or ahead, and I also came out of school with about $60k in debt. Wait, that was just school loans, I also ahd about $18k in credit card debt. P.S. I suck at handling money well, or at least I used to.
I didn’t want a normal life and I didn’t want to settle for normal so I worked hard got through school, got into grad school (it took a LOT of showing up to the grad office in person and persuading/harassing the head until he put me in touch with my advisor) and worked ahrd to get an internship and a job. None of it ahs been easy, and I could’ve quit when I got rejected twice by my grad school, but I stuck it out and worked for it.
Never settle for “normal”.
Mr. SSC recently posted…Vacation SSC Style!
Nice work. Hard work almost always pays off.
Yes, yes, yes!
Couldn’t agree any more with just about everything in this article! So many people out there are content with doing just enough to get by and with fitting in with the crowd. Screw that. If your complainy commenter was really interested in changing their circumstances – perhaps they’d take the not so normal step of learning how to code using one of the many, free, online tools. Would it be a lot of work – yes. But if they’re not happy with their current salary and work – do something about it!
Freedom40 recently posted…Some Recommendations for New Grads
Yes, there are loads of ways to get into IT these days. No excuses. And if you don’t have the brain for IT, do real estate or learn how to remodel kitchens or fix cars…
Hate mail sucks, but the world is full of naysayers. The fact is, normal people don’t get hate mail, so you must be successful!
Funny, I literally just wrote 2 articles about the middle class mindset and financial independence, then the next day find this on your site. You and I are definitely on the same page.
I never worked a full time job with great pay. In fact, I got started in real estate working only a couple part time jobs making not much above minimum wage.
Almost everyone told me it was IMPOSSIBLE to do what I wanted to do.
Then I did it…and people continued to say it was impossible.
5 years later I was completely Financially Independent….and people, to this day, still tell me….it’s impossible.
Everything in your article is right. Great article, once again.
Eric Bowlin recently posted…The Rich Mentality vs the Middle Class Way of Thinking
Awesome and inspirational:
“Almost everyone told me it was IMPOSSIBLE to do what I wanted to do.
Then I did it…and people continued to say it was impossible.”
I have a theory about naysayers (the chicken littles). I believe:
They once thought of the same idea, but couldn’t figure out a way to accomplish it. They gave up before trying, or shortly after starting. They decided it was impossible. If it was possible they would have achieved it.
If you do it and succeed, they become a failure (in their minds only). They will degrade or subconsciously sabotage you to ensure they are not ‘failures’.
I prefer to surround myself with the opposite kind of people. I want my friends to become crazy rich and successful. I hope they will share their secrets with me if they get there ;-).
Eric Bowlin recently posted…The Rich Mentality vs the Middle Class Way of Thinking
I also think that a lot don’t bother to try (watching TV is easier), but need to justify it a reason that sounds better.
“I prefer to surround myself with the opposite kind of people. I want my friends to become crazy rich and successful.”
Yeah, this is one of the keys to life. I’d have lunch and dinner with Charlie Munger every day if he’d let me. However, there is the matter of the restraining order. Just kidding. Maybe…
While yes, I agree that you can do better in life, there are limitations to skill sets. Not everyone can be a computer programmer, and perhaps that is what the complainer is referring to. I think many successful bloggers do have a more analytical mind to be able to be successful at blogging (for those that make lots of $$$ blogging) and perhaps a more driven personality.
I agree with you however, that even if you will never make 6 figures a year (which I imagine you have earned for many years) you can still resist the temptation to upgrade your car/home/cell phone when raises occur. Not everyone can do “side-hustles” due to time constraints (single parent or caretaker of sick parents for example) or personality constraints (severe anxiety, for example)–but even if a person can’t seriously increase their income, they can at least continue to live modestly and slowly increase wealth.
Also bear in mind, that although you may not have grown up in a great environment, you probably had a better public school system than a lot of lower income people have in this country (although good schools are not the only thing that matters as I’m sure you attended school with plenty of people who did NOT do well). It’s pretty disheartening to see the stark differences between top public schools and poor-performing urban schools in the US–and those differences are only getting worse in places. Having that educational background to your advantage, plus being a white male, probably helped you get a leg-up in life. Not to discount all the hard work and skills you have, however. A good foundation like great public schools can only take a person so far. That’s where the desire to better ones’ self does come into play.
I also did want to add that good timing and luck can really matter. Mark Cuban is a great example of someone with great intelligence, but also good luck and perfect timing (starting an internet radio company and selling for top dollar at the height of the dot com boom). Being “early in the game” with a skill set can ensure success. Decades later a person with the same skills can be successful, but make lack the perfect timing to become a millionaire. Look at all the Silicon Valley start-ups that fail nowadays.
Hi Tara-
You make some very valid points and I’d like to address some of them.
Programming: Totally agree. Not many can do it. It takes a specific mind and no doubt, writing code is the most challenging thing I’ve ever done. However, the core/start of my nest egg was from flipping houses. While programming is great income, setting tile also has made me significant amounts of money. I made about $37,000 per year at my first computer job back in 1998. I made far more from flipping houses at the same time. There are lots of different ways to make money.
About 60% of the kids who attended my high school lived in poverty. It wasn’t great, but like you said, not as bad as some inner city schools. In my own little neighborhood, only 2 of us kids went to college. Many more went to jail.
I think you miss the most important thing; being born in a first world country where with hard work, one can get ahead. I’m thankful for this every single day. As a child, I knew my life wasn’t great, but also knew that I could “educate myself” out of if. And I did.
So many reasons to fail – genetics, schools, age, place of birth, gender, race, having children… Clearly the world is stacked against me, so why try?
6 figure jobs just fall in people’s laps with little to no effort if they have the right combination of variables.
High debt and bankruptcy is only a problem for people who earn less than 6 figures.
Eric Bowlin recently posted…The Rich Mentality vs the Middle Class Way of Thinking
Tara,
I am glad you made these comments. I read your words as communicating that our current places in life (Mr. 1500’s, mine, yours, all of us) are a mix of things you can control and those you can’t. I totally agree. If I had been born a poor black female instead of a white upper middle class male, for example, and with everything else being equal, would I have had to work even harder and fight uphill against disadvantages a lot more? I have no doubt. And is that fair? Absolutely not.
I think these issues are very relevant in our collective decisions as a society. But I think the heart of the message Mr. 1500 so eloquently conveyed here, was what are we (the people reading this article right now) INDIVIDUALLY going to do about whatever circumstances we start from. What decisions are we going to make? What attitudes will we adopt? What habits will we cultivate?
Normal? Or extraordinary?
I personally think we can only judge a person by the effort they put forth to get where they are today. And that is always tough to see on the surface. So be careful who we put on a pedestal and who we don’t.
But Mr. 1500 and many other people out there who did not have life handed to them on silver platter are inspiring to me. And even (or especially) those of you who have only a $500 net worth, but you know how far you have come – you’re inspiring too!
Keep on working! Keep on improving!
You got allot of truth into that post. I think you are right with “Self-control” being one of the most important factors, if someone has the wisdom and knowledge of how to live how they desire self control and discipline are the tools to get you there. Unfortunately many look for the quick method, discover there is none and give up…. Glad you haven’t and best of luck!
Your posts always bring a smile to my face!
I think you pretty much summed things up with “To Hell with Normal.” Unfortunately, most people in this world just look for excuses and will never get out of their own little bubble. It’s not about how much money you’re making – it’s about making things happen for yourself. No one else can do that for you.
By the way, I’m glad you mentioned “The Millionaire Next Door” – I just started reading that book and it’s got me hooked.
— Jim
Route To Retire recently posted…The Steps to Wealth
Millionaire Next Door is a classic! I’ve read it at least 3 times.
Great and inspiring points! Love when you say that being normal leads to normal results and that we should strive to be extraordinary instead. Although I have to say that it really wasn’t hate mail…unless Mr. Complainy left some other choice words you couldn’t post. I think it’s understandable to feel that someone with a high income will have an easier time reaching their financial goals. Now why doesn’t Mr. Complainy make a higher income. He should but it’s not that easy. Maybe he’s older and doesn’t have that skillset…not that it’s too late to learn a new skillset but it is a little harder to teach an old dog new tricks. Complaining is a waste of time but there is some macro issue of wage stagnation that makes me understand some of that frustration.
Yep, complaining accomplishes nothing. I tell my children they can only complain about something unless they are also ready to tell me a solution.
Here, here for the rant. I plan on becoming a millionaire on a teacher’s salary. I am still a few years away, but it can be done. And I won’t get much in social security so I have no chance. Normal is DUMB!
Jason recently posted…Changes to My Investments
***Standing ovation***
The Jolly Ledger recently posted…Money Profiles at Work
Thanks!!
#BestRantEver.
There is nothing stopping other from becoming programmers as well. If they are commenting on your blog then they have access to the internet and therefore can learn how to program for free. I recently read about coal miners who become programmers. Hard work will get you anywhere.
Yep, there are so many resources now. No excuses! And if you can’t program, there are loads of other ways to accumulate wealth. Be creative, resourceful and work hard.
Funny to come across a post like this because I’m writing a post on similar topic as well. I guess great minds think alike. 😉
Great rant.
Tawcan recently posted…Weird things I did to save money in my 20’s
Mr. 1500 days, Thank you for reminding us all once again that financial freedom is completely within ones own control, and while the path is not complicated, it is unfortunately always easier for “normal people” to find excuses why they can’t.
Taylor Swift says, “Haters gonna hate,” but perhaps your remix should be “Savers gonna save.” Keep up the good work.
Thanks Jeff! Yep, people will always find excuses for what they don’t want to work for. It’s much easier to say I didn’t get this and that because ‘my boss is a jerk’ than it is to say ‘I’m lazy.’
48 weeks * 40 hours * 40 years = 76,800 hours
In. A. Cube.
No thanks.
This is one of my ultimate motivators, well said.
Steven recently posted…4 Financial Planning Tips for Buying Your First Home
Cube == bad.
FWIW, in math, the “normal” (short for normal vector) is that which runs perpendicular to the flow (tangent) of a curve or surface. So it pretty much means doing something as completely different as possible from what everything else around you is doing. =)
Mrs PoP recently posted…Which Is The More Financially Wise* Old Car?
Only from Mrs. PoP would a comment like this come! 🙂
Sounds normal to me…!
Great write up
amber tree recently posted…Why people mistrust options
This could be one of the better posts on the site mr 1500.
Thanks Jeff!
I’ve been following your blog for at least three years, and at this point I wish you would publish some of the hate mail you’ve received over the years. It is a part of your journey toward your goal, and you share just about every other aspect of your journey. Come on, share the vitriol!
Here is a post that I wrote about some of it: https://www.1500days.com/hate-mail-edition/
You should incorporate the hate mail on a regular basis. It’s pretty entertaining!
Kate recently posted…Don’t Let Your Stuff Own You
Normal is definitely something I don’t understand. When people tell me they have a run of the mill life, I question under what rock they have been hiding under. There’s a lot to be said for someone who criticizes those who are trying to be different and do something to improve themselves. Good for you for being ‘extra-ordinary’!
Amanda S @ Passionately Simple Life recently posted…When Temptation Strikes…
Well written post!….you do have a gift for bringing in various topics and exploring them in detail yet still staying on message about what the blog is all about.
I find it humorous that people have the audacity to seek knowledge from a blog like this yet still throw hand grenades because they don’t like the truth.
“I find it humorous that people have the audacity to seek knowledge from a blog like this yet still throw hand grenades because they don’t like the truth.”
Yeah, I wonder about that too! Why the hell do these people keep reading? Click the ‘x’ on your browser tab and go somewhere else if you don’t like it.
I just wanted to say that it is possible to build a solid net worth on an average salary. I live in the high cost SF Bay Area and have never earned more than 52K per year. In my mid 40s, my net worth is more than 7X my annual income. I’ve made mistakes along the way, such as not majoring in something lucrative, not getting started on savings until I was 26, going to graduate school on student loan debt and then dropping out, etc.
A lot is possible, but you have to WANT independence. You need a reason. A lot of people spend soooo much effort making excuses instead of putting their effort in to improving their lives.
Nice work! It’s inspirational to hear that someone who lives in one of the most expensive places in the world can do it.
And yeah, independence has to be more important than the cable subscription, a new car and a big home.
Maybe, it all comes down to priorities? One guy told me that a new car makes him happy and he is fine with the trade-off of working longer. I can’t relate.
Cheap, yah, well that can be annoying. Going to applebee’s with your friends and not paying your share of the tip… that’s cheap. Living below your means and being responsible with your “purchases” is frugal.
I also started with a below ‘normal’ income but that’s the drive to do better than normal that will get me to a 1M$!
Onward and upward!
What bothers me is when people say that they could never accomplish what someone else has, yet don’t bother to ask how that person got there. Rather than assume it’s not possible, they should be trying to emulate you and researching exactly how to do that.
It was only a few years ago that I wasn’t aware that early retirement even existed. Once I found one blog, it led me to another, and another. The amount of information that people have so graciously been willing to share online has made a huge difference in my ER journey.
I’m single, so the path to ER is a little longer with just one income. I started my career in 1999 making $27k/year. While I’ve moved up through the years, I certainly don’t make much more than a “normal” income. But the tips and advice that bloggers have shared has made a huge difference in how I use that income.
Your post is definitely one that I’ll be sharing with friends 🙂
Kate recently posted…Don’t Let Your Stuff Own You
Well one perk to your income is you can use lending tree. My income and net worth aren’t high enough to invest in lending tree yet. =( Someday…. lol
Technically my husband and I have a combined gross income of more than $70,000. Do you think that would count to participate in Lending Tree? We meet the $70,000 net worth, but not the $250,000 net worth.
It’s pretty sad state of affairs when being “normal” is to live beyond one’s means and not save for the future.
I suppose by this definition I’m not normal either, but I’d hardly consider myself extraordinary.
I feel your email writer’s pain, Mr. 1500. But instead of really replying to him, you used it as another chance to compliment your readers for being so special and “weird.” And instead of using numbers, you use some anecdotes about what constitutes “normal.” (ex. The average person doesn’t sell their car after three years).
I hate the whole “it’s all in your hands” nonsense that Financial Independence bloggers regularly peddle. Sometimes it’s not in your hands. If anyone can point me in the direction of an Early Retirement blog being written by someone taking care of their infirm parents, I’d like to see it. Or someone with kids with disabilities, or even just a single mom. (Actually, those blogs aren’t being written because those people don’t have the time to waste. They don’t show up in these comment sections either) And the racial disparities in net worth are astronomical. That’s not something a little hard work can overcome. Maybe for them the goal is to just get by. Maybe sometimes the goal is just to be normal! Gasp!
To say financial independence is within everyone’s grasp if they just work harder shows either a lack of either awareness or empathy. We’re all trying our damnedest out here, so don’t assert otherwise. But sometimes our damnedest isn’t good enough.
“I feel your email writer’s pain, Mr. 1500.”
I’m not sure why. The only thing he told me was that he had normal income. He didn’t mention any other unfortunate life circumstances.
Surely there are people who live in tragic circumstances like you mentioned. If you’re born a horrific place like the DPRK, you don’t have a chance. If you have something bad going on in your life, it isn’t all in your hands. However, do you think these situations are the exception or the norm? Most folks aren’t taking care of sick kids, parents or have some other tragedy in their lives.
I hear folks complain all the time about how they struggle with money. Look a little deeper and you’ll see a $150 cable bill or $600 car payment. That is who this post is written for. I thought this was obvious.
Also, the reasons you give are all valid reasons to pursue FI. I do think I’ll have to take care of sick parents one day. Not having a full-time job will allow me to do that. MMM himself is able to home school his kid.
Perhaps you could be a little more tactful in your arguments? You’ve called me an elitist and criticize me here for generalization (and create straw men to prove your points). Are you any better than who you perceive me to be?
The best way to get to the truth should be through civilized debate. I clearly wrote this with certain assumptions in mind that I thought were obvious. Same as before, you don’t give me the chance to explain them; instead you hurl grenades.
Maybe I am really a jerk. I don’t think so, but hey, I’m biased!
“…or even just a single mom” (Actually, those blogs aren’t being written because those people don’t have the time to waste.)”
Really? Here are a couple:
http://www.blogher.com/single-mom-rich-mom-single-moms-journey-financial-independence-and-early-retirement
http://www.wealthysinglemommy.com/10-financial-steps-to-a-rich-life-as-a-single-mom/
Ryan – I speak as a person with two siblings in adult foster care, people will never be able to work up to normal. In fact, due to the fact that they receive disability support, they are not allowed to accumulate more than $2000 in assets.
You might want to check out http://ipickuppennies.net/ The writer just published a book called something like “Frugality for Depressives.” While depression might not be exactly what you were describing – or your situation – the pre-press has said that it has good information for people in a wide variety of circumstances.
Anyway, I appreciate the optimism of posts like this, and my first take away is always the same: “Do what you can with what you have.”
The simple fact is that some people have a lot less to work with or a bigger load to carry. We should not judge everyone by the extraordinary people who overcome tall odds – that’s why we call those who do Extra-ordinary and admire them so much.
That said, the other thing I always take away from posts like this is that they are written for a specific audience, one that does have more choices available to them. Being targeted at that audience does not make a person elitist or a jerk.
Actually, I stopped reading Mr. Money Mustache as a regular thing after a piece kind of similar to this (but about biking, I think), not necessarily because of the post itself, but because of the comments. The level of sanctimony and anger against people who tried to suggest that they came up with other solutions as a response to their own personal circumstances in them was just too high.
I just think that people can be proud of their own accomplishments without putting other people down. No one really knows what someone else is going through, and what looks like failure to one person might actually be a huge accomplishment.
Mr. 1500, this reminded me of an interesting piece of research you may have already seen: http://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/crack-baby-study-overturns-common-assumptions-article-1.1407081
I couldn’t find a copy of the original study quickly enough (I have to get to work!), but this was not a terrible summary of it, IIRC. Your note about being born in the US as the first piece of good luck was true, and it also called this to mind.
I get so frustrated that people hardly read anymore. I sold my car, so I walk and take the bus and I am ALWAYS the ONLY person on the bus reading… ever. Also, like you said, walking is so good for the brain. The greatest thinkers also tend to walk a few hours every days. That is why I am no longer a cyclist. 🙂
I never got normal. Normal people always seemed stressed, over-weight and lacking in joy. So much more fun is found to marching to your own drum….
And I managed to maintain that attitude after going through the most “normal” producing system out there, military basic training and then OCS.
Daniel recently posted…Weekly Weight (6/26)
THANK YOU for addressing this. My husband and I have been living frugally for over a year and live on 50% of our income. We try not to acknowledge outside comments, but people who fall into the “normal” category can be pretty judgmental if your life is different from theirs. I have to say, we buy so much less crap now and we are so much happier. We have more walks and we read more. Happiness is never about money.
And by the way, we make “normal” money, so this is possible for almost anyone. 😉
A-freakin’-men! Great post.
Matt @ The Resume Gap recently posted…May in Southwestern Utah
I like walking very much, one day I walk 3-4 kms. And I feel very happy and comfortable to walk, my health much better, bro: D
Hey Mr. 1500…
Thanks for the link, I’m honored.
My favorite “hate” comment on my blog said something close – I’m doing this from memory – to:
“I don’t know if you care, but the gurus on Reddit think you’re a moron.”
He (she?) included a link where, sure enough, the gurus on Reddit were discussing what a moron I am.
I’ve never been able to decide: Was this person a friend giving me a heads-up or just putting a stick in my eye. 😉
jlcollinsnh recently posted…It’s better in the wind. Still.
Oh yes. Late nights in the lab at 2am while you were getting drunk and laid. (Sometimes i wonder if i did it wrong). I graduate with a engineering degree and get a great starting salary. I work my butt off continuing to improve and get promotions, ect so that i can save up a nice nest egg. Oh, and you wanna complain your stuck in mediocrity? Piss off. Oh, and now i have a great wife who is making up for my lack of social life in college. Yah…. complain away.
What strikes me the most about this is the notion that there are limited paths to success like a particular kind of job or a certain high income. Nothing could be further from the truth. We live in a part of the world that is bubbling over with opportunity! Not just great jobs, though, and that is where people so often stop and quit on themselves, they don’t think outside the box of working for someone else. We didn’t really hit our financial stride until we had scrimped and saved the cash we needed (just 5k, nothing mind-blowing) to start our small pest control business. My husband had a pest control tech and sales job for 20 years before that with security and benefits, yeah, but the pay and hours sucked. Now we are leveraging his experience and charm with my analytical bent (I do the books, write the letters and initiate a lot of the “this is the plan for next year, then five years out, etc. because I think that way) and less than 3 years in we are making more than we have ever made, are still debt free (part of our plan to start the business was to pay off all debt first, incl. the house, to minimize risk since we were taking on so much risk with the business) and we are saving 20+% every month, just out of our income. The business income gets 35% saved from it with every deposit. All on a modest income of 45k. With 3 kids. Normal? Pfft. Who needs that? Normal is just the beginning. It is where you start, not where you stay. Projections for next year put us well over 50k and that is because I plan on increasing our retained earnings to 45% to save for a second truck and hiring an employee. We are what we make of ourselves in this country. My husband and I aren’t genuises or extra lucky (one of our kids has autism and dyslexia…everyone has challenges in life and that isn’t bad, it strengthens us) but we are hard working, determined, mindful and supportive of one another.
After wading through the comments, I don’t have anything to add. I just want to give you a huge high-five, Mr. 1500. Best article I have read all month!
FinanceSuperhero recently posted…7 Deadly Financial Sins
It feels as if your post conflates two points: 1) ‘normal’ spending and ‘normal’ earning. I earn not a ton and maxing out my 403(b) would leave me with, pre tax, 25k. I’m 29 and am just starting to contribute 11% to my 403(b) and I think that’s what it’s getting at. I’d love to retire early and I’m working at figuring out side incomes, but I’m likely not going to hit early retirement/FI within the next 10 years unless my trajectory changes dramatically (which it could-I’m getting an MPA over the next two years). I love the city I’m in; as an introvert, the idea of re-settling elsewhere and creating a new friend group is terrifying, so I accept the high COL that comes with this city. So the ‘normal’ earning criticism I can understand and it kind of feels like you missed part of the point when you started getting into maxing out the 401k and doing roth IRAs and everything.
That being said, ‘normal’ spending and rejecting that via public transit, walking and biking and just plain NOT spending, I am totally in alignment with. I am pretty frugal and for environmental reasons I refuse to own a car. I don’t spend a ton which is why I can afford to pay for grad school out of pocket.
..Basically, I think we should encourage people to living significantly under their means while also not assuming that if they do that they’ll be able to max out their 401K and add a Roth IRA, etc.
“It’s never been about where you’re from, but where you take your life. Never let your past be an excuse or an anchor. With determination and dreams, anything is possible.”
Love this quote and really enjoyed this post, thanks for this! I keep telling my wife that by having an emergency fund and saving for retirement in our mid 20’s we’re already “not normal.” We’re on the very beginning of our journey, but it’s encouraging to think about how these small steps are going to pay off someday.
Hey Matt, yeah, it’s all small steps. But it’s amazing what happens; the savings will start to snowball and one day; BOOM! you’re there! You’ll accomplish it and it will be anticlimactic; but that is a good thing. You’ll discover new goals and new dreams and the money will fade away in the rearview mirror and you’ll start really living*.
*At least that’s how it is for me anyway.
Frugal is a great word.
As always a terrific read.
I’ve been quit busy and missed visiting over here for a bit, glad this was the post I cam back to.
Chris @ MindfulExplorer recently posted…Leading and Planning for the Outdoors
I am new to this site after finding it through MMM. Is there a way to see all the posts so I can read from the beginning?
What surprises me is that you get such comments from people who bother to read your blog but can’t seem to believe that the simple recipe works. We’ve spent our careers in non profits and still managed to hit double commas a few years ago at age 48. We weren’t even hugely focused on it and didn’t finally max our 403bs until age 44. Of course, now I wish we had been more focused, then I remember how vastly far ahead we are and I’m just grateful for having gotten started in our late 20s. We’ve never written a line of code and figure that’s what the Help Desk is for.
This is a stupid complaint. The person has identified that people who work with computers make more money. Why don’t they make the connection that they should learn to use a computer to make more money themselves…?
Way to see an opportunity and then moan instead of taking it.
Normal. I dread that word. Well, not the word really, just what it implies based on your post. Wouldn’t it suck when people say, “He lived a normal life!” Done nothing. Remembered for nothing…
this is total deja vu for me.
I’m in agreement of so many points that you raised including simplicity, invest time actively, money passively, and ultimately time is the most precious and the only irrecoverable resource we have!
thank you, awesome post, first time here because of PoF’s sunday best. will be here more!
Well said, “To Hell with Normal.” You make a great point highlighting a “normal” lifestyle that unfortunately most people live by. Hard to get ahead living a “normal” lifestyle.
DivHut recently posted…Recent Stock Purchase May 2016
I was a single father; went through a financial reset down to 10K in a retirement plan in divorce at age 36, and retired at 56. I tried to teach frugality to the kids, and used the kids to help make money; they located potential rentals for me to buy, and then managed them for the family. As a result they are now all pretty good with real estate. I never earned more than 65K (3 years with 10K bonuses though) and went through several years of unemployment. I got the 3 through college, though again they were responsible for a lot of it. My net worth is now about 40X the most I ever earned and my passive income is higher than I ever earned.
My favorite cliche: “Whatever you tell the universe, it always whispers ‘Yes.'” For instance, “I’m a loser.”
“Yes, you are. I can help you become an even bigger loser. Let me introduce you to stock tips at cocktail parties, hysteric spouses and drunk friends.”
“I could never possibly save up all that money and invest it, like 1500days does. Nobody could.”
“You’re right. You never could and the ones who seem to have done it are lucky or cheated somehow, or stole it from the poor. Don’t even try. Just piss it away on a new car. And a new boat.”
“Because life’s not fair to someone somewhere, I should just give up.”
“Yes. Give up. It’s hopeless anyway. Someone will take care of you. They’re obliged.”
Great article. Very MMMesque. 😉
How not to become normal.
1. I bought my first car with $1450 and sold it after 2 years for $1600. My second car was used 2009 Sonata, still driving and will drive it to the ground.
2. I save and invest 60% of my after tax paycheque.
3. I work 10 hours a day from my regular job and work on other works
4. I read 20 hours every week.
5. As soon as I get raise,
-I put money into investment accounts and buy quality dividend stocks or ETFs
-My car gets no upgrade
-Vacation is not dependent upon raise. It is pre-planned and executed accordingly
All the great things in the world are free. Being frugal does not necessarily equal to sacrificing quality of life. That’s how I accumulate $170K within 6 years into my career since graduating.
Cheers!
BeSmartRich
Great rant! I can’t really disagree with any of it. I’ve never been “normal” so it makes a lot of sense 🙂
Fervent Finance recently posted…The Move
This reminds me of a situation in my family. Whenever an acquaintance or friend gets a new ________________(fill in the blanks), my cousin’s husband says “well, you know, they have money”. This coming from the person whose daughter has 4 show horses and all the equipment for them as well as trailers, truck for pulling said trailer and vet/maintenance bills for the horse, show entry fees, riding outfits etc. Plus they sent the daughter to an out of state school to study “equestrian science”. In other words she majored in horseback riding! And he resents that other people have money in the bank. Sheesh!
I know you are a 100+ comments deep, but FUCK YEAH! I love this post. You worked your ass off to get where you are today, and that should be commended not tried to ripped down.
Evan @ Building Income Investments recently posted…June 2016 Dividend Portfolio Update
I get some mail like this. It’s everyone wanting the short cut without putting in the work and it’s frustrating.
Sandy recently posted…5 Ways to Maximize Your Retirement Funds
I love this post for so many reasons!!! The less “normal” I become, the happier I seem to be. We are definitely working hard right now to get out of debt, but are so excited for the extraordinary future awaiting us. I tend to rely on Ramsey’s mantra about living like no one else, so we can live like no one else. Being “normal” is a waste, there is so much more to life.
Great content, great presentation! I followed that plan and am happily retired with millions at 60. I loved my job for 36 years, no cube, just getting to lead others. Then the company was sold, new senior management took over and for the first time I stopped loving my work. So, because I had accumulated wealth your way, I walked away. No worries, and guess what? It’s wonderful! Most of my former coworkers are normal. They hate their jobs but they can’t walk away. I’m sad for them. They made just as much money as me but they spent it on new cars, bigger houses and divorces. Normal is no way to live. Bless you for speaking truth.
Hey Steve- Nice work! Sounds like you’ve lived a well planned life!
“Then the company was sold, new senior management took over and for the first time I stopped loving my work. So, because I had accumulated wealth your way, I walked away.”
This is a great point. Financial independence is all about options. For me, the best thing about having money isn’t any one thing, but having options. In my case, I could work for another 3 years if the mood struck, but I could also pull the keyboard cord tomorrow.
I realize that I’m late to the party, but here’s the thing about people who “work in computers”: Literally anyone with an internet connection can do it.
There are an infinite number of online resources devoted to helping anyone on earth become a programmer. All it takes is a little discipline.
Exactly. There are loads of free classes and it’s easy to demonstrate your knowledge by publishing an app or website.
Nice one Mr. 1500. A wise professor in grad school once told me that Normal is a myth. Normal, he said, is the sum average of all of us Abnormal people. Normal, by definition, is a fictitious person! I am Abnormal since birth and proud of it!
Amazing post Mr1500! This is the single best post I’ve found on the internet on “how to deal with complainypants”. Better than MMM!
I’m going to develop an intro talk on this topic to better react to complainers 🙂
Mr. RIP recently posted…Traveling
Oh man, I’m not better than MMM in any way, but thank you for the kind comments. Much, much, much appreciated.
Normal is OK at times too though. Normal has been around for decades. That being said, I’d rather not be normal and be able to go for that walk at 2pm on a Tuesday. Most of the traffic is gone at this time…does that mean we’re onto something… I mean traffic stinks and I run into it all the time. I calculated that I spent 60 hours a month in traffic. That’s over a typical work week! Even if I cut that in half, its 30 hours and it’s time not spent with family, work for freedom, and exercise. That being said, its also equally as tough to find that recurring money to allow this type of freedom.
I’ve always thought it strange that people would rather complain about not getting ahead that actively work to do something about it. I’ll see people complaining about having no cash while spending $15 a day on lunch and leasing a new car. People struggling with their weight and complaining about genetics while eating donuts. It just boggles the mind.
I recently joined the blog club to find like minded people, such as yourself, to help weed all issues early retirement may have and document the journey. Most co-workers don’t get it and family is not much better. Thanks for keeping the dream alive!
The Dreamers