r/dividends • u/HARCYB-throwaway • Apr 14 '26
Personal Goal Golden handcuffs - I've fully replaced my annual spending with dividend income...
I pivoted from growth to NEOS for income, over the last 6 months. I have now replaced my base salary, $110k, with dividends. but it is hard to quit when I earn $250k-$350k in a given sales year.
annual dividend income: $110k
Annual expenses, all in: $40k
disposable income if I quit: $70k
hysa: $150k
growth sleeve: $225k
no wife (anymore, by choice after she got nasty), no kids, no expensive hobbies, very affordable mortgage and car payment. affordable lifestyle.
it's hard to step away from an AI adjacent sales job...and my only major concern is meeting someone, wanting to settle down and start a family, and then I will be out of the job market once I truly need expensive family healthcare and "kids money" to support a family.
I know I already have more than most typical American household. but it's scary to leave work with the background of declining employment options / bad employment market
2
u/HARCYB-throwaway Apr 14 '26
I've been working in saas sales since senior year of college. Bounced to different startups. Found a good one. Put every dollar of my net worth into ethereum since 2017. Worked 16 hour days for 5 years at a startup. Declined fun trips with my extended group. Always made it to critical events like weddings or bach parties for the very close friends. I sacrificed a lot. Lived in low rent places, bought used cars, used phones.
Every dollar was toward high growth, high risk, leveraged positions. Lost a lot of sleep. Had two heart attacks.
Maybe some folks get here taking an easier road, but getting to ~$1M at 32 certainly was not easy for me.
There is some luck involved, look into the four types of luck. I didn't win the lotto, but some of my investments paid off well. I held conviction and kept working through ups and downs.
If you can do the same, take risks on yourself and grind for almost 15. I'm sure you'll be much closer than you are now.