Retired at 53. 9-5 engineer for 30 years. Self-made millionaire by 40. Multimillionaire by 45. Six-fig income options trader. Investment income from 5 niches.
I started investing into the market in 1994 at age 23….every month….autopilot….never stopped…..never sold. Result? Multimillionaire. It’s not sexy. It’s not clickbait. It just works over the long run.
Tomorrow is the last Monday that I have to hear an alarm. The 9-5 journey ends Thursday. Enjoyed the ride. A rewarding career.
I took care of my money….now my money will take care of me.
Some call it retirement. I call it time freedom.
In 1994, I began investing as much as I could each month after reading about paying yourself first. I believed it, committed to it, and trusted the process. 27 years later, that account is beyond my expectations and still growing. Getting rich slow works.
I reached $1M net worth in Jan 2007. Our cars at the time? 1990 Chrysler New Yorker & 1994 Honda Accord. Both paid off. 100k and 150k miles. Friends & neighbors made fun of the Chrysler (old guy car) and the Honda (some rust). They had no idea I was a millionaire. I did. Content
10 yrs ago, I lost my first wife to breast cancer. I became a single dad (kids 8, 10, 12). I was lost & unsure about what lay ahead.
10 yrs later, I just retired at 53. Remarried to an amazing woman. Kids thriving.
If you are going thru a tough time, it will get better.⏳✝️💪
Today was my last day of the 9-5 corporate world. Retired!
Great adventure. Did business in person on 5 continents….10 countries. ~500k air miles.
1st day pic (June 1994, age 23) & last day (today, age 53).
Next chapter begins…..tomorrow!
My net worth is down $710K in 2022. My plan: keep collecting dividends, CC premiums, rents, royalties, interest payments & re-investing 100% of my passive income each month. I am not selling; I am continuing to invest (DCA). Been through this many times over past 28 years.
@sweatystartup
In college (engineering), we always said "A students get PhDs and go into research, B students become good solid engineers, and C students go into sales and make all the $$$"
I became intrigued with $ at a young age. I began truly immersed at age 25. Today I’m 51 & a multimillionaire. I still study it everyday. Podcasts. YouTube videos. Twitter. My inner circle asks why still study it? I’m still intrigued. That kid from the 80s. Never stop learning!
After building a 7 fig net worth via stock market, I shifted focus to real estate. In 2017, I had 4 paid off houses generating $4k/mo in cash flow....while having a 9-5 job. I funneled that cash flow into REITs, ETFs, and royalties to create more cash flow. Snowballing...
Sold this rental today. History: Bought Apr 2014 for $103k cash. Sold Nov 2022 for $177.5k. 8.5 years, zero vacancy. Cashflowed $84k plus $74.5k appreciation. Now down to 1 rental (peak of 4) which I will sell in 2023 when current lease ends in June. Real estate is good. ❤️💰
My 22 year old daughter who just started first salary job after graduating college enrolled in her company 401k this week.
I told her at the amount she's investing plus the company match, her account will be $1M+ when she's 44. (autopilot millionaire)
Boring but effective...
Before I became a millionaire, I shopped at WalMart and Target, ate at the local pizza and Mexican restaurants. After becoming a millionaire, I shop at WalMart and Target, eat at the local pizza and Mexican restaurants.
Jerry is 50. He has no mortgage & his house is worth $425k.
His 401k balance is $300k. His wife's 401k is $200k.
He has no debt. He has $50k in cash.
Their 2 cars are paid off, worth $25k.
Jerry considers himself a millionaire. His brother Steve disagrees.
Who's right?
I started selling options in Jan 2022 with $30K capital as an experiment. (Watched YouTube videos to learn)
Profits (2022):
Q1: +$3456
Q2: +$4396
Q3: +$6419
Q4: +$6660
Q1 (2023): +$9253
In 30 yrs of investing, never seen anything like it. Time to scale it. Powerful niche!
My monthly payments: Mortgage $0. Cars $0. Loans $0. Credit cards $0. Just gas, electric, water, internet. It didn’t happen overnight and not by accident. Have a long term plan. Commit. Stay disciplined. It’s worth it.
In my 20s and 30s, friends, family & neighbors made fun of me (frugal, not spending, very used car, coupons, modest house).
Now in my 50s, they are borrowing from me and asking me for $ advice.
Stay the course…embrace the ridicule…build wealth!
Bob is debt free. He owns his house free and clear, valued at $500k. He has cash of $50k. He owns 3 cars free and clear, valued at $50k. His IRA has a value of $400k.
Is Bob a millionaire?
I invested 25-40% of my income for 20+ years starting age 23. Growth mutual funds. It made me a multimillionaire by age 43. I then added real estate investing in 2014. That added $1M+ net worth. Now I’m focused on assets that produce passive income. A plan, execution, discipline
I consider myself a conservative investor. I became a millionaire by 40. Multimillionaire by 45. It’s not about taking risks and swinging for home runs. It’s about consistency, commitment, and hitting singles. Time in the market, not timing the market. Pay yourself first.
My wife is considering retirement in 2023 as she’s burning out. Management approached her last week about possible promotion into an executive position. I told her to ask for insane $, car, less hours….nothing to lose. If they say no….simply retire. Talk about leverage!
I set a goal to lose 40 lbs in 2024.
Today I reached -30 lbs.
How? Lifestyle changes...3 healthy meals a day. No snacking. No sodas. No fast food. Less alcohol. Plus, 1 hour of exercise per day.
Benefits: snoring & heartburn gone, better sleep, more energy
10 lbs to go!
I became wealthy via investing not because I’m a genius but because I invested as much as possible each month for 20+ years into growth funds, up to 40% of my income. I never sold even when the market dropped 50% during 09 recession. I trusted the market long term. It worked.
I started investing in June 1994. I’ve never stopped & never sold any of my long term positions despite many market storms. Here’s a visual. I’m not wealthy bc I’m an investing genius. Time, consistency, commitment = results.
When I was 25 (1996), I read that if I invested 15% of my income, I’d become a millionaire by 60. I was SO naive and believed it. So, I invested 35-40% and became a multi-millionaire by 45. It works. Trust the math. Trust the market. Commit to the process.
Just 12 more working days remain in my 9-5 career.
Dinner tonight with our global CEO. He asked “what are you doing January 2nd?” I said “waking up when I want to. Headed to the gym. Writing some music. Selling some options.”
My retirement decision is real. Investing works!
Tomorrow will be my last Friday in the office after 30 years.
I’m retiring Dec 31. Every Friday from now til end of year, I’m off.
My last Thursday night that I’ll have to worry about waking up and working a 9-5.
I’ll be able to enjoy Thursday night football til after 11p.
In 2019, I bought the royalties of a hit song about a BJ by a famous rapper . The song was released in 2012. Results: Year 1 payout: +20% over my targeted payout; Year 2: +56%; Year 3: +82%. The payouts of this song continue to grow 10 years after its release. (Streaming = $$$)
I was planning to post a photo of my Lamborghini and Ferrari sitting in my driveway. But then I realized I’m actually wealthy…I don’t own such cars. My $ is invested in income producing assets, not depreciating toys that are expensive to maintain.
So....if we get taxed on unrealized gains, do we get the same amount back when we have unrealized losses?
This proposal is absurd.
Imagine the amount of $ that will move to offshore investments and deplete the US economy of necessary capital for growth.
I know a couple who make >$600k/yr. They have a huge house, nice things but are not necessarily wealthy. My buddy Shane who’s 52 has never made > $100k/year. He’s a blue collar guy and was a millionaire by 40. How? His grandmother taught him how to invest as a teen…and he did.
Many people (mainly corporate coworkers) asking why I am retiring at 53. Today I was reminded. The President of the 1st company that hired me out of college is laid to rest near my 1st wife's resting place.
He retired in 1995...and passed away 8 years later. He retired a
Always a lively debate: college vs no college.
My 22 yr old daughter just graduated college and accepted a job offer. Her starting salary (in a lower cost city) is > than the average 1 person income of over 30 states.
The 401k match is 16.75%. 3 weeks vacation.
Not bad.
In my 20s and 30s, friends & family made fun of me bc I saved and invested so much. It actually affected my lifestyle - modest vacations, eating out less, used furniture and cars. Now, at 51 work is optional. I can do what I want, when I want. It takes time. Have a plan & vision.
Before MoneyTwitter, I had no idea what covered calls/puts were. I now make $7-10k/month from them. Game changer. Social media can be very positive if you allow it to be. Open mind. Be a student. A lot of real deal people on here who know what they are doing you can glean from.
I’ve been through dot com crash (-45%), great recession (-51%), 2018 heartburn (-18%), Covid (-32%), and now this (-18%). Through all, I’ve never sold. DCA entire time. Such bear markets are a natural part of the market. Stay the course - long term vision. Investor, not trader.
I began selling options in Jan 2022. Learned via YouTube videos. I allocated $30k. My goal was to create $1k per month. I reached that goal within 3 months.
Today that account producing $3200-3500 per month in cashflow. (Weekly calls & puts; 3-5 hrs per week)
Fun niche
It’s official. I graduated from college in 1993. 30 years later I’m graduating from the rat race.
I am retiring from the 9-5 on Dec 31. Last actual day in the office will be Dec 21.
Take care of your $$$ (invest then invest some more) and it will eventually take care of you!
I invest into music royalties. I own the cash flow of dozens of older songs from 3 famous artists. It’s a unique investment niche not correlated to the stock market or economy. My returns have averaged 13% and growing each payout. 100% passive - buy & collect.
@royaltyexchange
26 months ago I had no idea what a Covered Call was. Cash Secured Put? No idea.
2 years later I have $100k+/year side hustle selling options.
All because of the community on Twitter/X.
Use social media correctly and it's a very powerful tool!
When I began investing mid 90s, if you wanted to buy or sell stocks you had to call a broker, ask the price, fax a signed buy/sell agreement, pay $20-30 fee…and it would transact at market price. Today in seconds for no fee, we touch our phones…buy/sell at limit price. Control!
In 1994, a 23 yr old kid read that social security would be bankrupt by the time he retired. He knew pensions were dying. He made a decision to invest as much as possible each month (DCA) to assure he wouldn’t have to worry $. By 2007, he was a millionaire. (Decide & commit)
Started my covered call experiment in late January with $30k of stocks. Learned on YouTube (free). Grown to $41k. My return in last 4 weeks is 6.1%...in a chaotic market. Finding this to be a valuable $ tool. After 6 months of selling CCs, I am sold it’s a viable income source.
Last night I found out that a buddy who doesn’t work & lives on 14 acre estate that includes 3 golf holes is a Bitcoin millionaire. He bought 100 BTC when under $100 years ago.
Told me he now sells 5 per year to live off. (Not a money centric guy, average Joe)
$1,000,000 is a lot of money. Anyone who says otherwise has not accumulated $1M. I know many millionaires…..not a single one of them would say $1M is not a lot of money. (When you see someone tweet it is not, they are doing it for shock value & trying to stir you up…ignore it)
I’ve built a 5-figure monthly passive income. Every dollar is reinvested back into income producing assets. The $$$ machine now feeds & grows itself. (I don’t rely on this income yet as I still have a 9-5 I enjoy.) Assets: Dividend ETFs, real estate, REITs, covered call positions
Day 26 of retirement. I've lost 10.6 lbs and physically feel the best I've felt in a decade via diet & exercise.
I am having the best investment income month to date.
FYI: Retirement is not as good as people hype it up to be....it's WAY better!
Keep grinding....it's worth it!
For new followers about me:
53, married with 5 kids
Started investing 1994 (age 23); debt was -$2k
Millionaire by age 40 via stock market; multimillionaire by 45 adding real estate
Recently retired from 9-5 with investment income >$150k
16 streams of income from 5 niches
My 1st 15 years of investing: 25-40% of income into growth mutual funds. Became millionaire. Then added real estate. Became multimillionaire. Now focusing on income assets - having a blast. So many ways to make passive income. Never stop learning. Growing. Pushing yourself!
My 9-5 funded my investing addiction for many years. Now my investments fund any addiction I choose (family, traveling, music, etc).
Use your 9-5 income as seed for a massive future harvest. (Money can grow on trees)
When I learned about DCA and compound interest 27 years ago, I felt I should invest as much as possible each month into mutual funds because in 10 years, 20 years, etc, I’ll be 10, 20, etc years older anyway if it works or doesn’t work. It worked. It made me a multimillionaire.
Tonight at our year end corporate Holiday party, they announced my retirement. Many shocked coworkers.
I’ve had retirement in early 50s planned for over 10 years. Most people think normal retirement is 65+.
Retirement is not an age, it’s a $$$ number. Don’t be normal…boring!
I started selling covered calls 12 weeks ago using $30k of stocks. Data so far: average weekly profit $367, or approx 5% monthly return. 60 calls sold with 9 assigned…85% expired worthless. I’m continuing to learn and grow in this new found niche.
At age 19 in 1990, I set a goal to retire by 40. Realistically I could have retired at 43. However, I discovered I enjoyed my career! It’s one of the reasons I got wealthy. I still work. FI and retirement are not the same thing. Aim for FI, not retirement.
Don’t confuse income with wealth. I know a woman who makes $600k/yr. If she lost her job she’d be in financial peril. I have another friend who makes $75k/yr. He works bc he enjoys it. He’s debt free with millions $ of assets. If he lost his job, he’d not lose any sleep.
I share this to show the power of the market. This is an actual screen shot of my largest account. I’ve not put a single $ into this investment account for over 5 years. It’s nearly doubled in size. Use this as motivation! The market works. Trust it.
I started selling options (CC & CSP) in January 2022. I started with $30k capital.
My profits by quarters:
Q1 22: $3325
Q2 22: $4396
Q3 22: $6419
Q4 22: $6660
Q1 23: $9523
Q2 23: $10,594
All profits reinvested. I have added $12k capital (acct value at $83k)
Profitable niche.
The American dream isn’t a house in the suburbs with a white picket fence. The (insert your location) dream is having enough passive income that work is optional and you can do what you want, when you want, wherever you want with whom you want.
@FilledWithMoney
Live off $40k and invest the difference for 5 years and retire. $280k/yr after taxes minus $40k leaves $240k x 5 will be over $1M invested over 5 years. Then make $10k+ per month for life.
October 2013
Car payments: $308/mo
Mortgage payment: $1833/mo
Investment income: $0/mo
October 2023
Car payments: $0/mo
Mortgage payment: $0/mo
Investment income: $14k/mo
A lot can change in 10 years. Remember...where you are today is influenced by decisions you made years ago.
I’ve used my 9-5 to fund my investing addiction since 1994.
Result? Multimillionaire by 2014
It works. Just start….never stop. Autopilot.
Let the machine (market) do the work….then let compounding take it to rare air.
(Be safe and wear a seatbelt on the ride…bumpy!)
In the last week, I've lost 3 friends unexpectedly...ages 50 (autoimmune hepatitis), 52 (stoke), & 56 (heart attack).
I'm blessed to have recently retired at 53....now even more committed to my focus on health & wellness.
Life is fragile. Wealth without health is meaningless.
@DividendBreeder
If you have a fixed rate, the only variables are taxes and insurance. The mortgage company is obligated to send you details showing the shortage so you can see what's driving it
Last night I enjoyed helping my 22 yr old select her 401k & IRA funds as she's finishing her 1st month of employment since finishing college.
With the company match, she'll be investing $1100/mo.
Time in the market now becomes her best friend! (Plant seeds, let trees grow)
Compounding works. Actual data of my net worth journey. I started with $2k debt out of college.
1994: -$2k
2007 $1M (13 years)
2013 $2M (6 years)
2016 $3M (3 years)
2018 $4m (2 years)
2020 $5M (1.25 years)
2021 $6m (0.75 years)
Set goals. Pay yourself first. Stay the course.
I became a millionaire via the stock market.
My brother a millionaire via real estate.
My sister a millionaire via business.
There is no one way or right way to wealth. Find your niche using your strengths & passions.
I am in a good position financially because of decisions & actions I took 25 years ago. And 20 years ago. And 15 years ago. And 10 years ago. And 5 years ago.
Wealth takes time. Wealth is a journey.
Commit to a plan, take action, and adjust as-needed as you progress.
2022 investment income: $152,227 (cashflow)
Sources
Dividends: 48.2%
Real Estate: 23.5%
Options: 15.2%
Music royalties: 7.4%
Loans: 5.1%
Misc: 0.6%
Investment income 2013: <$500
Shift in 2014 to adding income producing assets to the portfolio to prepare for "retirement"
My small Indiana hometown has had very few if any athletes make it to the top level of any major sport. Right now, we have an NBA player, MLB player, and soon to be NFL player (top NCAA receiver). It’s an exciting time! (What’s In the water?)
Today in our town, an $800K house got listed for sale (this is on the higher price range).....50 people showed up at the same time when viewings began! You cannot make this up. The Real Estate market is reaching new levels of insanity.
I invested into stock market for 20 yrs before I bought a passive income asset. Why? My 9-5 took care of me & I wanted to create a solid foundation. Now I have a six fig passive income. This will reach seven figs by 2030. Vision+planning+execution=results. (Don't chase $$$)
In my 20s & 30s, friends, family, neighbors made fun of me. I chose to live a frugal lifestyle because I was investing so much of my $$$.
In my 40s, they quieted down.
Now in my 50s, many ask for $$$ advice & some for loans.
Have a vision. Stick to your plan. Get wealthy!
When I began investing in 1994 out of college, I started with $650/mo (25% of my salary). DCA. I scaled this over time as my income grew. This simple habit made me wealthy. 28 years later, I still invest each month (>15X my 1994 amount). Make investing simple. Make it a habit.
Want to be a CEO? You are…of your household. Treat it like a business. You have revenue (income) & expenses (bills). You have biz decisions: where to live, what to drive, invest or not, etc. Track your $$$. Do a P/L. I did this decades ago and it revolutionized my finances.
I have friends who are millionaires via:
Entrepreneurship
Real Estate
Stock Market
Corp America
Crypto
401k/IRA
9-5
Music
Pro sports
Guess what? We never argue which way is best or throw shade how they got wealthy.
There is no best or right way.
Find what works for you.
When people find out I am wealthy via the stock market, they ask what stocks to buy. I tell them “I have no idea.” This surprises them. I’ve always invested in mutual funds since mid 90s. I explain my process/mindset which has zero to do with timing the market or “picking stocks”
The CEO I work for is South African. He's very similar in mgmt style to Elon. He doesn't believe in remote work. When urgent priorities arise, he expects very long hours, even if it means 14+ hr days: work til mission done. We have been successful under him and made a lot of $.
My passive income is 5x my first salary as a newly degreed engineer in 1994. The amount of personal & financial growth between that 23 year old kid and now is staggering. It didn’t happen overnight. Your income will never exceed your financial literacy. Work on your future self!
Excellent week of selling options, nearly 50/50 balance of calls and puts. My first $1k week at $1364. I started in this niche in late January with goal of making $1k/mo. Now, hitting $1k/week. It takes capital as you need 100 shares of a stock but a unique source of income.
With stock market close, ran official net worth numbers. 2021 by far our best year. First time our net worth grew by >$1M. When I set a goal of becoming a millionaire at age 19 in 1990, never imagined growing it by $1M in a year. Set goals. Commit. Have discipline. Be all in.
Robert is 45 & has a balance of $150k on his 3.5% mortgage.
His uncle dies & leaves him $150k.
Robert wants to pay off his mortgage. His brother advises not to but to invest the $150k.
Robert knows little about investing; having no mortgage excites him.
What should he do?
Since I retired 7 weeks ago, I’ve yet to eat a single bite of fast food. I used to eat some about 1-2X a week due to the busyness of working full time.
Also, I quit sodas completely 5 weeks ago. I drink mainly water, some juice.
Added 60-75 mins of daily exercise
Energy⬆️⬆️
The day I officially became a millionaire was cold January day in the Midwest in 2007.
I got up. Showered. Went to work.
No fireworks. No parades.
Nothing changed other than knowing I was set for life at age 36 if I just kept investing as I had been.
Peace of mind.
I admire electricians, plumbers, welders, mechanics, machinists, carpenters, HVAC, and on and on. Most enjoy what they do. They work hard. They have good careers. They can scale if they choose to $. Don’t downplay skilled trades…we need them.
My favorite investor? Easy. My 23 year old self for taking action, going all in, and being committed over the past 28 years. I’m now reaping the rewards of his actions! (Reward your future self…take action now. He/she will appreciate you more than you know)