Idiot.
My husband and I have done pretty much the opposite all our lives, and we've been quite successful:
- We do buy the cheap beer. And the reduced-for-quick-sale meat, and the thrift store jeans, and the economy car. I have literally never bought a Starbuck's drink. He says "scratching ten cents out of a dollar" is wasted effort -- if you saved 10% on everything, you'd be set for a modest retirement at a conventional age -- not sitting around whining about the futility of it all.
- We have never been high wage earners, but we've accumulated a nice stockpile by starting young and depositing consistently.
- Our stocks are earning us money. I'm not even sure what it means to invest only in yourself and what you can control. I personally don't control much beyond the doors of my own home, and I lack the right skill set to be an entrepreneur.
- We live in a moderate house which we
(not the bank) own, and it saves us huge amounts each month.
- We learned quite a few things in college that we actually use on a daily basis. Both of us went to college young, and we've "had back" every penny we invested many times over. I regret nothing about going to college!
Idiot.
Typical 30 something just grew up with nothing to show for it and is jealous of those who at his age are established. He's conveniently ignoring the friends from highschool on Facebook with families and houses. The ones that lived frugally, stuck to their jobs, saved, and set them self up well for their 30s. I'll bet he cries over a bottle of whiskey about failed relationships, jobs, and being a mess at 30. He tries to feel big and important telling 20 something's to not bother, not do anything difficult, avoid commitment, and a bunch of other bad advice. I'll bet if he actually took meaningful post secondary classes he would realise they actually teach all the skills that he said post secondary doesn't teach. You won't get that if you go from easiest class to easiest class cheating and barely showing up.
Sorry, if this sounds like an attack.... I have a relative the same age who preaches the same advice and always tries to sound wise and belittle my wife and I for our humble ways and being nieve.
Now that I believe!
I do know people who are approaching middle age and have essentially nothing to show for it, and they LOVE to point out that it's all hopeless anyway, and no one could've done any better in their circumstances. Who's naïve?