Money Fitness Journey

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Twitter
  • YouTube
    • Home
    • About
      • Disclaimer
    • Explore the Blog
      • Financial Independence
      • Fitness
      • RV Life
      • Travel
      • Other Series
        • Step-By-Step Blueprint Guide
          • Debt 101 Blueprint
          • Investing 101 Blueprint
          • Credit Card Hacking Blueprint Platinum Edition
          • Credit Card Hacking Blueprint Hilton Aspire Edition
        • Real People Real Stories
    • Resources
      • Personal Finance Tools
      • Coaching
        • Financial Coaching
        • Fitness Coaching
      • Bookshop
      • Our Gear
        • RV Living
        • Maintenance
        • Fitness
    • FIRE Date Count Down
    • Contact

    From $20K To My First $100K

    June 29, 2020

    The Milestone

    This is one of the bigger hurdles as far as financial goals can go. The pivotal moment of reaching your first $100,000. They say the first $100K is the hardest and let me tell you it was not easy. I set out to reach this goal and I kept on grinding until I hit it.

    This is really two milestones in my eyes.

    • $100K net worth
    • $100K in liquid assets

    The Journey

    This journey has been bittersweet so to speak. It all started in 2015 when I decided I wanted to get my shit together. At that time I had about $20K saved up. I did not know much except that I wanted to do better and have the freedom of options. So my journey of self-education began. Little did I know at that time that journey would change not just my finances but my whole life. I have learned a great deal in the last three years. You can find all of the books that changed my life and finances here.

    Tracking My Progress

    Unfortunately, I did not start tracking my net worth until Feb 2017. But as you can see below I literally added about $35,000. It might not seem like a lot to most people. But at that time I was only making $50,000 a year give or take. That is why progress is so slow for lower-income people at first. It’s due to almost all of your gains being your contributions and not compound interest. I love Personal Capital as my Free Net Worth tracking tool.

    Few Principles

    • Time in the market is more important than timing the market.
    • Index funds are the bus ticket to wealth. They aren’t sexy. They aren’t fast. But as long as you get on board you’ll get to where you need to be (This was coined by Jermy Pelham).
    • A high savings rate is needed not a high income.

    Simplicity Is The Key

    Simplicity in life is the golden rule. I have learned true simplicity and fully understand how much I value having a simple life. The more simplistic approach you have with money I believe the better off you will be. So just how did I tackle simplicity with money?

    I have learned what my priorities are and what I value. I don’t spend on stuff that I don’t value or does not bring me long-term happiness. By doing this the byproduct is the ability to save even more money because you ultimately spend less.

    High Income Is Not Needed But It Helps

    I have come to realize that a high income is not needed to become wealthy. I will admit it sure as hell helps! Income has zero to do with our savings. Our choices have everything to do with our savings. I saved $100K in about 3 years and was never earning a six-figure salary. Of course, results will vary depending on your choices, location, and life situations. If you have debt weighing you down check out my Debt 101 Bluprint on a simple step-by-step method to get rid of all your debt.

    I have $100K in liquid assets and the most I have made is $50.7K a year

    The more wealth I build the less I want flashy things. I use to always want a nice car, house, phone, sunglasses, shoes, and clothes. Now that I can pay cash for any of those items I have no desire for them. I much rather buy a book now than the newest phone. I rather drive a used Honda or Toyota than a BMW and invest the difference.

    I Must Have Got Lucky!

    I did not find some kind of magic wand to create this wealth! I did not get lucky and build $100K over the last three years. I made the right choices consistently. I made mistakes on the way and adjusted and learned from those mistakes. I asked tons of questions from people that were where I wanted to be. Nothing about it was flashy or quick. In fact the people I asked advice from and learned from made a lot more than I did. When everyone else around me was upgrading their cars I was getting made fun of for my 12-year-old car. When everyone around me was getting the newest phone I was rocking an old phone.

    There is nothing that I did that cannot be replicated.

    My Investment Strategy

    I must have had to Hustle my Ass Off? Nope, I really just stuck to a simple strategy of invest as much as I can as often as I can. Don’t sell even when things dip. Buy and Hold Low-Cost Index Funds and take the guesswork out of the equation. To my surprise, this strategy did the job. Again it was a slow process especially seeing others talk about their huge ROI’s with trading individual stocks. Check out my Investing 101 Blueprint for how simple it can be.

    Can Everyone Do This?

    No, and to think so would be dishonest, to say the least. Even though I never made six-figures I did make around $50.7K which is still higher than many American’s incomes. Many people have to work multiple jobs just to make ends meet. So I’m not saying everyone can do this. I am simply sharing what I did and how I tackled and achieved one of my goals that I worked hard to reach. Yet I think Financial Independence is for Everyone!

    The Journey Ahead

    I still have a long journey ahead of me. This was one huge milestone for many to come. I encourage everyone to follow my journey and reach out to me if you need a mentor.

    Hopefully, everyone enjoyed reading this and has a great day!
    ______________________________________________________________________________

    FIRE HACKS

    Thanks for stopping by. I use affiliate links to support this site at no cost to you if you believe you get value, please consider supporting me by clicking. 

    My favorite free financial tool to manage my net worth is Personal Capital. You get a $20 Amazon gift card for signing up. 

    My favorite free investing platform is M1 Finance. You get $10 for signing up. No trading or management fees plus you can buy fractional shares. 

    My favorite Credit Card Hack is American Express Platinum, Hilton Honors Aspire, and Bonvoy Brilliant AMEX. So far they paid me over $2,200 this year to use these cards. 

    My favorite phone service is Mint Mobile. You get a $15 renewal credit for signing up. I get a year of phone service for a rock bottom price of $240. As a guy who travels and lives in an RV full-time, this service has been amazing.  

    Filed Under: Financial Independence

    Comments

    1. Vicki says

      January 13, 2018 at 4:00 pm

      You are well on your way to FI. Congratulations!

    2. Angela @ Tread Lightly Retire Early says

      January 14, 2018 at 9:29 pm

      I’d say that a high income definitely helps, but savings rate is king. The worst thing about a high income is that you can easily become trapped in that job – even if you spend most of a lower paying job, there are a lot more replacement options out there.

    3. Adam says

      January 21, 2018 at 12:45 am

      This is fantastic! I just crossed the same mark this month too without a massive income. I think living well below one’s means as a result of really questioning how much spending is necessary to be happy has a lot to do with it. Reducing spending has that wonderful double benefit of both increasing savings rate while simultaneously reducing the total amount necessary to reach FI.

    Join The Wealth Domination

    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Twitter
    • YouTube

    Categories

    As Seen On

    Recent Posts

    • Stop Spending Money To Impress Other People
    • Q2 2022 Dividend Payout
    • Will More Money Bring You Happiness?
    • July Net Worth 2022
    • Friday Fit: Week 7

    Copyright © 2023 · Custom site by Moonsteam Design