u/doctor-squared

Similar to Desert Island Disks - do NOT include high salary (all of us), prayer to G-d or higher power (most of us).

I think mine would be (in order of importance):

1. Having a spouse on the same page (thrifty and watches expenses closely)
2. Tracking our expenses (used Kakiebo method) to ensure we were living within our means
3. Working for an employer who paid nearly all of my student loans off tax free (VA - EDRP and PSLF).
4. Maxing out tax advantaged accounts starting early in career
5. Geographical arbitrage - live in a low cost region of the country (Southeast) close to decent public schools.

For those of you who have completed already? Ours was finalized today. Per Gemini AI, 6 million have signed up, so we are well below the first 25 million signed up. We meet all criteria.

Americans have doing this for years! 100k miles hasn't been a dealbreaker for us since the early 2000's. Looks like the Brits are falling in line with their American cousins.

I purchased my first Apple product, a Macbook Air, in 2008 (anyone besides me remember those manila envelope commercials?), just prior to starting medical school. This extended to an 1st gen iPhone. I loved (and have always loved) the ecosystem. Update on your computer calendar --> cloud updates on your phone. I still maintain my .mac email. I have had Time Machine, Time Capsule, at least 4 Macbook Airs, multiple iPhones. That being said... I am a bit concerned now about Apple's AI (or lack of). Siri is not in the least intuitive, and does not sync well with my ChatGPT Account. My son's brand new Google Pixel is 85% as nice looking as my iPhone, the Android software is nowhere near as seamless (IMO) as the iPhone's, but hey, it has Gemini! And my son loves it. When I bought my Macbook, this was after years of PC's with the dreaded blue screen, which is one reason I purchased it. But now, with the many Chromebooks, not to mention the improved PC's, blue screens are a thing of the past. Given the way AI is transforming everything, including my own profession, I wonder how Apple plans to navigate the future without a fantastic Apple AI on the near horizon? What does Apple need to do to remain at the top and relevant? I am sure Apple is reading this and the responses.

I just accepted a new position at my work, and the salary increase is $30,500.00 per year, or roughly an 11% increase in salary. Total yearly gross income for me will be 305k, and my wife will be making 50k per year as a school teacher. I plan on going back on my health insurance next calendar year (instead of my wife's), so factoring in the cost (and associated tax savings associated) of employer health insurance I anticipate that I will have a NET yearly income increase of $8,994.00. I am late 40's, and plan on retiring from my civil service physician job in 9 years 11 months, so that I can enjoy some relatively healthy years relaxing somewhat. We have fully funded our 401k's, backdoor Roth's, and our kiddos 529's for years (and continue to do so). We have over a million dollars in liquid assets, and 6 months emergency savings. My wife and I both have life insurance. Only debt is mortgage. With this pay raise should I:

Focus on paying off our mortgage? 460k left in principle (purchased first home 3 years ago).

Put in a swimming pool? Dog days of summer in the southeast. I want to be the house my kiddos and their friends want to spend their summer days.

Contribute more aggressively to my taxable brokerage fund? The taxable brokerage account is currently around 30k.

Be more aggressive with our kiddos 529's? We live in a state where college tuition is funded by the state lottery, so undergrad tuition x 4 years is essentially free for B average students.

Do something fun, like travel abroad, as a reward for saving so diligently for so many years?

Anything else the group would suggest?

My coworker tells me she has put almost 300k on hers. I am a new OB owner ('26 Touring NA engine). What are other OB owners seeing as far as miles? Would like to hear from people with >150k at least.

2026 Touring 2.5. Lots of state roads to the gulf, some highway driving. Averaged >26 mpg. Took two cars (all with young kids and in-laws accompanying will understand), I drove my Outback. Ride was excellent, boys played on tablets while I drove, plenty of room in car for all luggage and items brought home from beach. So comfortable, so roomy, smooth ride, excellent gas mileage. Got to utilize adaptive cruise control and hands free a few times. Recommend highly to families - or, anyone!

My first Wrangler I purchased in May 2012, a graduation present to myself for completing school. Wrangler Sport, manual transmission, the only extra I requested was air conditioning. Intentionally got one stripped down. It has been a fantastic vehicle. Daily driver until 2023, now my “fun” car. I have 116k miles not terrible, but it has been an overall fantastic car. I maintain regularly, change filters, oil, rotate tires. For anyone out there thinking of buying one-go for it. Get the simple version (if you get a 4-door you might as well get a a Cherokee), get a manual-fun to drive and the ultimate theft deterrent. Also better made than an automatic or CVT. What’s been everyone else’s experience with their Wranglers?

Question for the group - my wife and I purchased our first home a little over three years ago. We had and continue to have excellent credit, I used a no money down doctor's only loan, interest rate is 6%. We have paid extra and built equity, but I am wondering if we could get a better interest rate and thus a lower monthly rate. Any thoughts on how to go about this? Thanks in advance.

Got the VIP. I know they are opening for Breaking Benjamin, but we will be in Tampa that weekend so wanted to see them. Looking forward to meeting the band.

I am the proud owner of a 2012 Orange Crush Wrangler Sport, manual transmission. Purchased brand new, still going strong. The velcro on the right side of the soft top for holding the window in place is no good. I would prefer to not pay for a new soft top, any advice on how to best replace the soft top velcro?

I am in chapter 3 of the mad king and the rings-everytime I go to my village nothing happens. I want to get the ultimate techniques! And I have conquered the main hero class, and want to start doing some other classes but keep my skills.

Since joining this group, I have noted several differences in UK vs. USA car culture. One big difference is the number of diesel engines in use in UK vs. USA. Diesel is not popular here (USA) for passenger cars for a number of reasons - it is more expensive, less gas or petrol stations sell it. I spoke to my wife, an engineer, and she said that the fuel standards and tax here make it more expensive than petrol. However diesel engines are very durable, and the MPG is better than petrol. In fact, in 2016 GM produced a manual transmission diesel hatchback car, the Chevrolet Cruze, that exceeded 50 mpg. Didn't sell very well. In the UK, any hits to your air quality because of the extensive use of diesel engines? I wonder (again) if the USA should reconsider its use of diesel.

Hit 1 million in cash/bonds/brokerage/retirement accounts today.

In August of 2017 I was a fairly new attending at a civil service physician job - I came from an academic setting, and academia is one of the few places that pays less than the civil service, so for me it was a pay raise. My wife and I had 40k in savings and retirement, 2 little kids, and I had over 600k in student loans (pharmacy school and out of state med school). We also had one car paid for (my 2012 Wrangler 2 door) and one auto loan on a Kia Soul. We rented a nice home in a decent middle class neighborhood, and started to get (more) serious about our finances. We paid ourselves first. I started the Kakeibo method to track expenses. Using Kakeibo, I quickly realized that little things such as buying gas at the local warehouse club for the year vs pricey Exxon down the street would be equivalent to a month of free gas for both of our cars. We started purchasing all gas at the warehouse club. After doing the Kakeibo method for a few months, we also realized we weren't using many of our streaming services, and cancelled nearly all of them, as well as Amazon Prime.

I set up an appointment via phone with Cory Fawcett, who advised me to start backdoor Roth IRA's for both me and my wife. A lot of paperwork, but we got it done. Because we started paying ourselves first on one salary early in my career, maxing out the retirement, and the kiddos 529 (up to the tax deductible amount in our state), as our income grew larger over the years, the burden became less. We were not constantly playing catch up.

In 2023 my student loans were discharged tax free (at this point they were $696,301.39). This after years of careful paperwork, speaking with my student loan advisor, submitting (and sometimes resubmitting) paperwork to my employer and the loan servicer. What was not discharged was paid for by my employer (also lots of paperwork). We purchased our first home. Of Dahle's 14 milestones, 6 were achieved in 2023, after years of careful planning. But we were still able to enjoy life along the way. In 2023 with all kiddos in school, my wife also went back to work.

In 2025 (June) we became millionaires between cash and hard assets (property, cars, jewelry).

In March of this year we purchased our first new car with cash (milestone 7). Today, we passed the 1 million mark in cash/bonds/brokerage/retirement. We have no debt except our mortgage, which we are paying off early. We are in our mid-40's, with 3 kiddos. And I still have my Jeep :-).

If we can do the above on a civil servant outpatient primary care salary in just under 9 years, anyone can. So take heart, those of you just starting out! And take heart, those of you who are just now tackling your finances. There is a light at the end of the tunnel.

I have 8 characters - Pius, Stia,Fen, Macy, Vitor, Kelsus, Alexia, and main character (black mage). Level 15. This guy is killing me! How can I grind and get the money I need for armor and good weapons? I want to beat the wealth, then move to power chapters. Thanks!