Millionaires Reveal The Incredible Origins Of Their Extraordinary Wealth

The phrase "Money can't buy happiness" suggests that the mindless accumulation of excess wealth ultimately leads to diminishing returns in happiness. It does not imply that people should be satisfied with merely surviving on basic necessities.

Contrary to the popular saying, money actually can buy happiness. It guarantees a certain level of security that poverty does not provide.

If you're not constantly worrying and stressing about paying your bills, budgeting your food allowance, and scrimping for gas, then it will be easier to live in the present. Enjoying what you have and living in the moment is nearly impossible when you're unsure where your next meal is coming from.

Our current state of affairs makes it difficult to envision a future with financial security. A majority of us are working multiple jobs while living paycheck to paycheck.

The dream of owning our own homes and retiring with a substantial nest egg is starting to loom darkly over our heads. It's challenging to think and plan for the future when you are just one emergency away from bankruptcy.

There are still those among us who were not born into wealth but managed to escape the rat race triumphantly. They earned, saved, and invested enough money to have at least a million dollars in their bank accounts.

Here are some of the stories of how they made that million:

Goddammit_Vennie

1. This person was a programmer at a time when the internet was just becoming a thing.

yanoJAL

They invested in real estate and lived below their means.

yanoJAL

2. Received a cash gift from their fiancé's grandparents, who won tens of millions of dollars in the lottery.

synesthesiah

3. Became an officer in the Army, saved money, and invested it.

udayserection

They became a landlord with a diversified portfolio amounting to two million dollars.

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4. Saved 40% of their salary and traded in the stock market.

ilikeirony

5. Penny-pinched and consistently put money into long-term investments.

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6. Took out a loan and used the money to become a landlord, then repeated this a couple more times until they had a sizable passive income.

Hamoct

7. A lucky individual who was at a low point in his life gambled and fortunately won almost two million dollars one night.

5meterhammer

8. This hard worker slowly climbed up the ranks, saved and invested religiously, and married someone with a similar work ethic.

optiongeek

9. Invested in their 401(k) as early as possible.

nerfezoriuq

Reaped the benefits of compound interest.

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10. Learned enough about their field to become a consultant and charge a substantial amount of money.

Yanman_be

11. Born to wealthy immigrant parents who became rich by working hard at California tech companies.

rttr123

12. This mom did not change her lifestyle despite a significant pay bump. She is a wise spender and an even better saver.

ductoid

13. Supported her husband's dream. He is a good businessman, and together they built their wealth.

SisterofGandalf

14. This grandchild had amazing grandparents. They got it right when they invested a small amount of money in the right companies.

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15. This person inherited money from their deceased father and grew that money.

SanshaXII

The road to becoming a millionaire is not easy. Saving monthly will eventually become a habit if you are consistent about it, but the real challenge is avoiding the temptation to spend it.

It must feel amazing once you realize that all those months, if not years, of saving and investing have finally paid off. Your million dollars may not buy you a yacht, but it will at least provide you with some peace of mind.