As I get older, and hopefully more wiser, I look back and reflect whether my financial grinding early on was worth it. From my early days when I started working, someone more wiser than me gave me the best advice. It was to maximize my 401K. From this moment and because my paycheck wasn’t that big I had to live minimally while not sacrificing experiences. I could have coasted along by spending on things that would temporarily satisfy my wants but I didn’t. Grinding it early has given me opportunities that I don’t think I would have if  

I made a decent competitive salary after college. After you factor in maxing out retirement contributions, the paycheck doesn’t look that decent anymore. I made the conscious decision to live within my means and not overspend. I spent my money more on needs rather than wants.  

Don’t get me wrong. I did enjoy my early years. I didn’t live like a hermit. I enjoyed going on trips, snowboarding, traveling, spending time with friends, and so on. Could I have spent more on things and had a more enjoyable younger life? I could have but I didn’t. I made a purposeful decision to be financially aware of my expenses and my income, and to never spend more than I have, and live an enjoyable lifestyle accordingly. Grinding it doesn’t mean that you are deprived of enjoyment. You just need to establish priorities and balance those out along with your financial goals.  

I am not immune from making bad financial decisions. I did make a number of financial mistakes. For example, I spent way too much on a leather jacket because I wanted to impress. I purchased computers when I didn’t really need it. I overspent on meals when I didn’t have to.  I do fall into those temptations time to time but it’s ok because we all fall off the horse. You just need to get back on.  

Grinding it early has allowed me to 

• Build an investment portfolio that has grown so much 
• Learn about good financial habits 
• Learn about tax laws so that I can be more efficient where my money goes 
• Experience different ways to earn more money such as real estate investing and dividend investing 
• Have the ability to consider other lifestyles without having a huge financial impact 
• Reduce any financial worries for the future  
• Consider early retirement as a real option because I made positive financial decisions  
• Teach my children financial tips and giving them real life examples 

Reflecting on minimizing spending, spending on what matters more, maximum investing, maximum saving, travel hacking, real estate investing, learning tax laws, income generation, and so much more I can honestly say that grinding it early  was worth it. I could have had a different lifestyle but I traded that for a lifestyle and grinding it early which gave me options for early retirement. If you are interested in following my journey and their journey, follow them on Instagram and email subscribe to get alerts of latest posts or follow me on Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest.