(Photo taken in Kiev, Ukraine—these are some of the many old Soviet-communist style buildings…as “cookie-cutter” as it gets…)
A few weeks ago, I dropped an email ripping into some commenters who believe in the “save forever and retire at 65” mantra that I love to hate on.
In response to that email, a long-time reader wrote back to me…
“Oh shit! You’re going straight HAM on em, brother!
I enjoy your emails. I don’t usually respond every time something really resonates with me because I don’t want to waste your time. But you just dropped a laser guided knowledge bomb on em.
Sometimes when you spend less you get less. The idea is to spend less to get more otherwise it doesn’t make any sense to spend at all. My Dad used to say: “Remember you can go broke spending to save money”. Save up and pay more to get more.
Have a great day my man and keep blowing them up with your spot on knowledge.”
Here’s the thing I feel I have a duty to “spread” about personal finance.
Things have CHANGED.
For example, I know only a couple of people who are roughly my age who have bought their first home at this point in their life (they’re too busy buying avocado toast).
What’s more, those people who have actually bought homes, it’s all been couples that have dual incomes (and high-paying ones, at that, think nurses/engineering/Silicon Valley).
Whereas, 27 years ago, when Yours Troubly was born, my parents were able to buy their first house within a year of graduating college, between some money they had stashed away as well as a small gift.
Fact ‘o the matter is that this just doesn’t work these days. And us millennials, especially men, need to understand this facet of personal finance. So while grandma and grandpa and everyone in between might be nagging you to buy that home, up your 401k contribution, and everything else, just remember this…
Things have changed.
Anyways, I speake of this because that route is a surefire way to never have true freedom in your life.
More:
Freedom is the one thing you cannot put a price tag on.
No amount of money is worth it.
Anyways, it’s about time to wrap up today’s post but thanks for reading as always…considering I crossed the five year mark of running this blog/business, and I’m more free, financially successful, and (usually) happier than ever, I just can’t help but mention how glad I am that I didn’t follow the typical cookie-cutter path.
That’s all for today.
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You are absolutely right. In most cases, buying a house in today’s market is a really bad idea. I bought my house 31 years ago and it is paid off, but things have changed. I likely could have done much better with that money if I had a clue, but I didn’t. My current goal is to rent it out and use that income to fund my retirement, probably in Eastern Europe.
You can buy a few houses here in EE if ya sell it, I bet!
”Real Estate is the best investment”, one of the biggest lies financial sites and media spread to the general population. I always get a bit mad when 90% of the people tell me this. I understand if you WANT to buy a house to live in it and to settle, but there are so much better things to do with your money. I might rent for the rest of my life and invest extra capital in the stock market. When I am 65 I might be poorer than somebody who just paid off their house, but I might have a richer life. Being ”rich” can have different meanings.