Yep, I crossed $1m in investments this year.

I wanted out of the rat race ASAP so I have lived frugally and am set to quit tech for good in a few months. I would have already quit were it not for covid – figured I might as well make some more $ given the restrictions on life.

I have usually saved 80% - 90% of my income for the past few years. This translates to monthly index fund investments of $15k - $20k.

How? I lucked out big time and have managed to work remotely as an engineer for a Bay Area company with Bay Area pay while living in cheaper places. I also have stock in said company that will likely be worth >$2m (of course I value startup stock at 0, but things are looking very good for this particular company).

I haven't had to live under a rock to save all of this money, either. I spent years traveling and adventuring around the world pre-covid. Travel does not have to be expensive – I'd go as far as to argue that spending a lot of money for travel means you're getting a prepackaged mass-manufactured experience optimized for comfort. I like adventures and challenges, not being comfortable :)

I used to be cheap like my refugee parents, but I've since found a nice balance. I happily use money to eat healthily and solve problems like missing a flight. I enjoy spending money on making other people happy. But fuck the newest iPhone – who needs that shit when your old phone works just fine?

I abhor consumerism and live as minimally as possible out of my small backpack (excluding adventure gear). That doesn't mean I hate stuff – I just hate the kind of stuff you tend accumulate without thinking and the stuff that costs more in freedom than the value it offers. For example, I just spent $3k recently on top-of-the-line winter gear because I want to expand my adventures into arctic climates this winter. But the idea of buying a mattress or a costume for halloween gives me anxiety. I'd rather completely avoid or outsource owning things like that.

For me, the freedom of being able to put my clothes and laptop into a backpack and walk into a flight is priceless. A lot of the annoying things about travel (having to drag your suitcase around, standing in line for a spot in the overhead compartment, having to go to your accomadation right away to drop off your stuff) are completely solved when your backpack fits under the seat in front of you in flights and on your lap even in the most crowded bus. (My adventure gear is usually parked somewhere, but I can carry around my larger backpack, too.)

I feel most alive when I'm doing something in the great outdoors. I have taken month or two chunks of unpaid time off every year for my adventures, but I'm really looking forward to being completely free from work obligations next year.

My life has not been easy – my childhood was really fucked up so I became an introvert full of shame, anxiety, and trauma. I did learn to program and escape into the virtual world of computers, but otherwise I have had to fight many battles against my demons to grow into someone I actually like being. The encounters with so many kind strangers during my travels and my experiences with psychedelics have helped me shed who I thought I had to be and embrace who I am with my flaws and all. I'd choose that over my money every single time, but I'm glad to have both.

I now find myself at a place where I am comfortable being vulnerable and creating space for others to share the darkest parts of themselves. To make use of that skill, I recently started doing volunteer work with youth – I can no longer help the poor, lost little boy that I once was, but I can help kids who are as fucked up as I once was. Last time, a young girl opened up about her suicidal thoughts, depression, and eating disorder for the first time. She has a ways to go, but it's a huge step for her.

I think there is a severe lack of authenticity in our world and I want to do my small part to change that post-tech. Other than more adventures of course :)

I'm 27. I know, I can't believe it either. I'm extremely grateful and extremely lucky for where I am today. Things could have turned out very differently.