A Reddit post has recently struck a deep chord across the FIRE (Financial Independence, Retire Early) community in India—not because of flashy numbers or viral gimmicks, but because it’s real. It’s the journey of a young man who started his career in 2018 with a ₹2.4 LPA salary and quietly built his net worth to over ₹1 crore by 2025, all before turning 30. But the numbers are only part of the story. What really stands out is the humility, humor, and honesty woven through every line.
“This isn’t a boast. It’s my story,” he begins—a simple sentence that disarms the reader and invites them into something more personal.
He grew up in a modest household, where his father brought home ₹7–8K a month, and his mother “maybe ₹5–7K… never asked, never dared.” It wasn’t just about financial struggle—it was about dignity, unspoken sacrifices, and quiet ambition.
Despite scoring 89% in 10th and 12th, he confesses that most of his teenage years were spent playing cricket and avoiding overstudying. He chose an engineering college not for its ranking, but because its bus passed through his area. “Guaranteed window seat for four years,” he jokes—finding light even in small constraints.
His first job in Bengaluru paid ₹2.4 LPA. He lived in a 3-sharing PG, saved ₹2,000 a month, and still recalls it fondly: “We even had fun. Tons of it.” Then came COVID, a ghosted job offer from a Big 4 firm, and a twist of fate—an HR call he got while sitting on the toilet—offering him a ₹12 LPA job. “I swear, I almost dropped my phone—among other things.”
His career saw a steep climb during the 2022 tech hiring boom. After cracking 13 interviews, he landed a ₹32 LPA offer at a product company. With stock options, his compensation today hovers around ₹45–50 LPA.
But here's the part that stays with you: nothing about his lifestyle screams “high salary.”
“I still use the Android phone I bought in 2019. My shoes cost ₹250, but I spent ₹1,000 on the soles. Gotta protect the knees, not the brand image.”
He speaks candidly about early financial missteps, like investing in monthly payout FDs because he didn’t know better. Today, he invests ₹71K/month through SIPs. His portfolio grew from ₹31.6 lakhs in 2023 to ₹1.01 crore in 2025. Not through magic—just through discipline, consistency, and learning over time.
The way he describes it? “Watching it grow now feels oddly therapeutic.”
Looking ahead, he’s not chasing unicorn startups or a luxury lifestyle. He wants one final job switch in the next couple of years and dreams of retiring before 45—on his own terms.
And his message to others trying to make sense of their career and finances?
“Just keep moving. Be frugal where it matters, splurge where it counts. And never underestimate the power of compounding—both in your money and your career.”
This isn’t just a financial success story. It’s a coming-of-age tale, a tribute to middle-class resilience, and a reminder that real wealth lies not in what you flaunt, but in the quiet confidence of knowing you’re building a life that’s yours.
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