Financial freedom before 40 used to feel like one of those influencer flexes that made me wanna throw my phone across the room. But honestly? I’m 36 now—December 22, 2025, and I’m sitting here in my Austin apartment with the window cracked because the heater’s being dramatic again, and my net worth just hit a number that doesn’t make me wanna cry anymore. It’s not “there” yet, but damn, it’s close enough that I can taste it.
I remember back in 2020—wait, no, 2019?—I was making decent money at a tech startup in Denver, but every paycheck disappeared into rent, Uber Eats, and those “just one more” rounds at the bar. I thought I was living the dream. Turns out I was just living paycheck to paycheck with better views.
The Mistakes That Make Me Cringe When I Think About My Financial Freedom Before 40 Journey
God, where do I even start.
- I financed a truck I didn’t need because “Texas.” Sold it at a loss two years later.
- Put $8k into some random crypto coin because a coworker wouldn’t shut up about it. Gone. Poof.
- Kept saying “I’ll start investing next month” for like three straight years.
- Racked up $72k in combined credit card and student loan debt while telling myself it was “good debt.” (Narrator voice: it wasn’t.)
Looking back, I was straight-up delusional. But hey, at least I learned the hard way so you maybe don’t have to.
How I Finally Got Serious About Financial Freedom Before 40
One random Tuesday in 2021, I opened Mint and saw my net worth was negative $43,000. I just sat there staring at the screen eating cold leftover Thai food, and something snapped. Not in a dramatic movie way—just this quiet “okay, enough” feeling.
I started with the basics everyone says but I always ignored:
- Tracked every single dollar for three months straight (it sucked)
- Cut my spending in half—sold the truck, moved to a cheaper place, cooked actual meals
- Threw every extra dollar at debt using the avalanche method (highest interest first, because math)
Paid off all the credit cards in 22 months. The student loans took longer, but they’re gone now too. I celebrated by buying a $12 bottle of wine and crying a little on the balcony. Worth it.
Then I went ham on building the investment side. Maxed Roth IRA every year, 401(k) up to the match, and the rest into boring Vanguard index funds. Still doing that. Boring works.
The Side Hustles That Actually Helped Me Speed Up Financial Freedom Before 40
My day job is fine—pays like $110k now—but it’s the side stuff that really juiced the numbers.
- Flipping furniture (I got weirdly addicted to refinishing mid-century pieces)
- Selling digital downloads on Etsy—budget templates, habit trackers, whatever
- Picked up freelance writing gigs again; turns out people still pay for words
Some months the side income was $3k extra. Most months more like $1k. But it all went straight to investments or that last chunk of debt. No “treating myself.”
The Weird Mental Rollercoaster of Chasing Financial Freedom Before 40
This is the part no one screenshots.
One week I’m refreshing my Vanguard app every hour feeling like a boss. The next week the market dips 5% and I’m spiraling, eating cereal for dinner, convinced I’ll die broke.
And holidays? Brutal. Everyone’s posting ski trips and new gadgets, and I’m over here saying no to everything so I can hit my savings rate. Sometimes it feels lonely as hell.
But then I remember I’ve got options now. I could quit tomorrow and be okay for a while. That feeling? Better than any vacation.
Okay, Real Talk As We Wrap This Up
I’m not financially free yet. Not even close to coasting. But I’m on track—barring some disaster—to hit my number sometime in 2028 or 2029. Which is still before 40. Barely. Whatever, I’ll take it.
If you’re reading this feeling behind, trust me—I get it. I was negative net worth at 32. Start small. Track your spending for a week. Cut one dumb subscription. Invest $50. It snowballs faster than you think.
Anyway, that’s my messy take on financial freedom before 40. Not perfect, not polished, just real.
P.S. If you want the Google Sheet I use (it’s ugly, has random tabs from 2022, and one sheet is literally called “don’t delete this”), just reply or DM me your email. I’ll send it. No funnel, no upsell, promise.
References:
- Mr. Money Mustache – the blog that first wrecked my spending habits
- JL Collins – The Simple Path to Wealth – made index funds click for me
- ChooseFI Podcast – listened to every episode during debt payoff drives
- Vanguard’s Investor Education – for the boring but important stuff
