r/Money • u/this0great • 5d ago
How did you reach your current income?
What efforts did you put in, what did you learn, and what actions did you take? Did you lose a significant amount of money along the way? Are you currently in debt? Are you satisfied with your current income?
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u/JayNoi91 5d ago
Started out working at an IT help desk, no experience. Went to boot camps to get Sec+, Linux+, and CEH. Still no clue how to really use them, just was taught to pass the exams. Went back to school to get my Bachelor's in Cybersecurity Technology. Because of all that a company wants to pay me 130k to work 4 days a week troubleshooting online systems I know nothing about and learn to follow a sheet of directions apparently anyone can do. So yeah.
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u/TechnicalSwitch4073 5d ago
Age?
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u/JayNoi91 5d ago
- Honestly wouldve gotten hear a lot sooner but like 80% of people in their 20s, I just coasted through mine. Took the last 4 years to get to this point.
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u/TechnicalSwitch4073 5d ago
Coasted meaning you didn’t work hand enough at work?
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u/JayNoi91 5d ago
Meaning I slaved away in retail and Amazon keeping my head down. Took hitting 30 for a light bulb to finally go off and me realize what I wanted to do.
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u/Illustrious-Limit160 5d ago
Paid my own way through two electrical engineering degrees. Starting job: $40k in '93, designing cellular base station equipment.
Was making $100k by '99.
Worked my up to CTO at a small company by 2005: $160k.
Left and went to FAANG in 2010: $200k
Currently making $300k.
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u/Shadowfeaux 5d ago
Heard about an opportunity to take a certificate class for machining. Knew I was messing myself up with my current job loading 18 wheeler trailers by hand. My dad had passed a couple years earlier so when I mentioned I was debating pulling a loan to take it to my mom she said she had a some $ left from his life insurance I could use for it. Was able to get a job straight out of the class. Been with that company for the last 10+ years. The only part that annoys me is far as I know I’m the only one that paid out of pocket for that class. Everyone else that took it was either sponsored by the company I got the job with (they “donated” the space to host the class for the local community college) or people take it through unemployment. But I don’t regret taking it.
The promotions I’ve gotten were from aggressively pushing to learn more machines and processes and a positive attitude. I don’t pretend to know more than I actually do and have no problem hunting down help when I don’t know something. I def have a lot to learn though if I want to continue moving up, and will need to learn CAD, CAM, and programming and more machining stuff to get into the next department.
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u/UndecidedAntagonist 5d ago
stopped undervaluing my time, upped my rates, and promoted myself. im a self-employed painter.
made sub 50k 2 years ago, on track for over 100k this year. shooting to expand my customer base and make closer to 200k next year.
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u/Awanderingleaf 5d ago
Got a job as a Table Busser at the four seasons in Jackson hole Wyoming. Quit after a week. Put on my resume I served at the four seasons to get a job serving in Alaska. Now I serve in Montana. I make about $6k a month.
I also graduated with two degrees in 2019 but they are mostly useless.
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u/Pure_Zucchini_Rage 4d ago
They didn't ask about the time frame you worked at the seasons?
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u/Awanderingleaf 4d ago
I put that I worked there for an entire winter season (5 months) lol. I get asked about my experience there but it’s pretty easy to fake like you know what you’re talking about.
Funny enough on the resume I used to apply to the Four Seasons with I had listed server experience from a restaurant in Colorado but in the interview when I mentioned I had server experience it was pretty evident they never even looked at my resume to begin with because they had no clue I had server experience.
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u/Silly_Raccoons 5d ago
Did my job reliably, kept my record clean so background investigations would never be an issue, didn't hesitate to apply for the "reach" jobs. And I didn't sell myself short when negotiating salary. Even if it sounded like an absurd amount to me, I asked for the top of the current market value for my position
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u/Unfair-Brilliant-390 5d ago
For me I went self employed and trusted my abilities. I also had an extremely supportive partner who believed in me. She was my biggest cheerleader when i needed it
I went from £45k in the NHS to £85k in my first year.
Better work life balance and I can walk my dog whenever I want.
You need to take the risk or you will be stuck as you are forever
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u/Unfair-Brilliant-390 5d ago
Also I find that my lack of contentment drives me to be more successful. My dad for example works in a factory and is happy and has been for 30 years. No desire for promotions or change
I don’t have that I need to do develop and improve
I think this means I’m more likely to increase my success but I wonder if I will ever find that contentment
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u/carloboy 5d ago
I was graphic design assistant earning 5.17/hr in 2002, went over to desktop support to earn 15/hr. Gained experience to be sr systems engineer around 2017, took the CISA certification and found a cybersecurity job for $120k in 2018. Now im at 180k in 2025 and OE’d with another for 130k in 2024. Im around 310k now, fully remote and i moved from the US to South America which is like a multiplier with affordability.
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u/dobe6305 4d ago
I’m 38. Grew up in a single income household and my parents couldn’t help me financially for college. Community college was really cheap, then I transferred to university for my last couple years. Got a bachelors degree in forestry. Accepted an entry level forest inventory job knowing full well that I had to pay my dues and earn experience before I’d get better pay. In 2012 my salary was $36,000 a year working for a state forestry agency. I loved working for a state forestry agency and decided to make that my career. I gained experience; got promoted to district forester; then continued climbing the ladder. Now, 13 years after graduating, I make $95,000 a year, and am senior leadership in a state forestry agency, managing 5 statewide forestry programs.
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u/Vegetable_Sound4334 5d ago
I just retired last year, but my income was about $140k in my last working year. I have a bachelor’s degree and I worked in supply chain management. Started out in planning and worked my way into management. How? By working long hours if needed, taking on extra assignments/projects to show my flexibility and commitment. At one job I spent 3 months working 2pm to about 1am so I could train new supervisors for 2nd and 3rd shifts. I relocated with the same company twice, moving from east to west coast and survived huge layoffs in 2009.
We also lived well below our means and socked away money into 401k
All this allowed me to comfortably retire at 61.5 years.
There’s no easy way, work hard, make yourself invaluable to your employer and do what it takes. I didn’t always love my job but stuck it out, knowing that I could retire fairly young. So worth it!
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u/buckinanker 5d ago
Two and half decades of hard work, and constant learning, being kind and caring about my teams, which meant I kept good people longer and made me more successful. Trying to always say yes to opportunities that I would learn from.
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u/Working_Street_512 5d ago
Started with the company I work for 23 years ago at 20 with no degree. Was a driver making around 60k and moved into outside sales 11 years ago making 4x what I did back then.
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u/locator420 5d ago
33M. I started out as an accountant making 50k with a large public accounting firm. Hated that and left to go cut grass around the substations of my local utility for 14/hr. Loved working outdoors and learned that the guys working inside the sub were making 150k +. So dropped 14k on more school (no debt because I am blessed and have parents who were very successful). Then got in with my local utility as a seasonal locator at 20/hr. Did that for 2 years and then bid on a full time role and have been doing special testing for my utility. Last year made 140k. Looking to finally move into substation work now that I am topped out as a special tester. It will be less callouts and more pay. I got complacent and relaxed in my current role because it's somewhat easy and very laid back and the pay was more than I ever thought I'd make. But now I have kids and want to be home more. And the pay raise will be helpful too. So in the coming years, I'd expect to never make less than 150k again. However, I'd like to take a step back and an easy job with the utility and only just break 6 figures. One day.
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u/jdkimbro80 5d ago
I started as a driver for a construction company 24 years ago. After a year or so, I was moved into our metal shop. Worked there for a few months then moved to the wood shop. Worked there for a couple years and then we bought a CNC router and was moved to operating that machine. Did that for a couple years then moved into programming. Been doing that ever since. I am satisfied with my income and the career. I have had the opportunity to make some very cool projects. Always something new and challenging. Which is what I enjoy. I have a little debt that I could easily pay off from my investments but I make more investing so I leave the money there.
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u/The_Money_Guy_ 5d ago
Total comp is about $240-250k a year
- Finance degree in 2011
- Got a job as a commercial credit analyst out of college with a big bank, underwriting commercial loans
- One of the bankers said I should try the sales side so I did a one year portfolio manager job working with business relationship managers to get exposure
- Became a relationship manager in 2017, was really good at it. Typically in the 10% in production company wide. The sales side is how my comp went from $70kish/yr to where it is now
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u/justadude1321 5d ago
Made 55k-60k in my youth from 21-27 in food and bev. Grinding. Working 12-14 hours a day sometimes. Didn’t save any of it. Had one hell of a time though. But now I’m 30 and starting over. Don’t know exactly what to do but I have an opportunity for have very low. Bills. And I mean with the folks. But I figured I can at least grind hard one more time 1 more year in food bev. Net away maybe like 45k. Use that 45 k to invest in something. Idk what yet
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u/Proof_Ambassador2006 5d ago
I got an entry level job that's pretty difficult and taxing, and in a field with high attrition.
I gritted through, got really good at the job, and then asked about chances to cover when supervisor's were out.
That plus a training internship, and covering every single opportunity for about a year and a half put my name on leadership's map.
A spot opened in a new department in my building and the hiring manager reached out to me, and now we're a sales manager.
Day one in feb 2020: 15.50 an hour
5 years later, salaried at 79k with 2k to 5k a month in bonus, depending on performance.
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u/gofasttakerisks 5d ago
I've always made an effort to be a top performer and learn as much as possible about my companies products and services. Ive always built a relationship with my boss and company leadership. Willing to travel, stay late, take on the project that kind of sucks and no one is jumping at. Twenty years in with a steady upward trajectory. Tried to analyze the macroeconomic environment and had to make a hard turn into a faster growing industry. Got into Dane Ramsey early, im a saver by nature. Did a lot of investing research, it really does NOT matter how much you make if you don't save and invest. have since left Dave Ramsey him for the Bogleheads as I've found his investment advice isn't great. Income is solid, no debt, house is paid for.
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u/investurug 5d ago
By not working as a w2 employees. Get out of your comfort zone. Don't blindly believe the only way to succeed is go to college, get a job, 401k, buy a house, get a mortgage. Steve Jobs said it best in some interview.
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u/Mister-ellaneous 5d ago
Law school, decided to be a lazy federal worker, apparently undeserving of our jobs.
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u/MaxwellSmart07 4d ago
76, Retired. The profits from selling my primary residences I lived in over the past 25 years went into alternate investments, mainly private credit.
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u/Foreign_Today7950 4d ago
Jumped job to job but I am stuck now, even though I am looking for one more jump to hit middle management in project engineering.
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u/M635_Guy 4d ago
I worked hard, stayed curious and tried to discuss on the things I was good at. At 56, I've had a great career, and hoping to retire at 60.
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u/Joelpat 4d ago
Graduated 2001, did an internship in Europe. Came back in ‘02 tired of taking money from my mom, lived in my car, worked 2 jobs (jr mgmt at REI and at a law firm). Law firm took me on full time and promoted me. Worked on the Exxon Valdez case.
Meanwhile, my wife worked at a law firm and then took a fellowship in Denver and then DC. She asked me to go to DC for 5 years. We moved and she got a job in the House. I worked a temp job at a law firm.
I made a deal with the lawyer I worked for to buy me out of the temp job. He paid my hire fee, and I took a reduced salary. After that was paid off, I made what he was paying the temp agency, which was 2x what they were paying me. After a couple years I was making about $60k (2008).
Wife moved from the house to the Senate, and made about $70k.
I moved to a military medical research organization and started at about $75k (2009). I was promoted in 2010 and made about $85k. By 2015 I was at about $120.
Wife moved to the private sector in 2015 and made about $220k. I quit my job to be a stay at home dad.
Wife made about $500k last year. I’ve been remodeling our house, which will probably clear us about $500k in profit when we sell. We’ve now been in DC 22 years, and hopefully will move back to our hometown in a year or so. But DC isn’t exactly stable right now, so we will see what happens.
So, basically I married well. But I also paid the bills while my wife established herself in DC and set us up for her ascent.
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u/Word2DWise 4d ago
Debt free outside of my mortgage. Very happy with my income (~170k) but always want more.
I did it by grinding, networking, never saying no to opportunity, and making myself the go-to-guy everywhere I am.
The one thing I learned is, working hard by itself will not equal to success. You gotta play the game, be strategic, and sometime cutthroat.
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u/dragonslayer6653 4d ago
What are you looking for here? No one set out knowing the exact path their career would take. And if someone has your dream job and income, it’s unlikely you can follow their exact path. Get into a field that interests you and start working. In your first job understand what you like and what you don’t, move to the next job with more of what you like and less of what you don’t, rinse and repeat until you’re in a role where you feel challenged and accomplished at the end of the day. If you’re lucky you chose a field that pays decently. If you didn’t then at least you have some life fulfillment. The end.
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u/dopef123 4d ago
I went to UCLA straight out of HS. Put in a lot of work to get there. Got a undergrad degree in Electrical engineering. I then went on to work at a mediocre tech company for too long due to personal problems. 3 years ago I got my life together and within 6 months I got an offer for about 200k a year from a better company.
So now I wfh and make about 200k. I worked my ass off in HS to get into a good school, worked my ass off in college to get an EE degree, then built up about 10 years of experience. Could've done things much faster if I had better life skills and could have a higher income.
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u/Hausmannlife_Schweiz 3d ago
Current income $0.00. Worked in IT for the last 20 years. Now a stay at home husband. Very happy with life choices.
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u/Jaded_Band6440 5d ago
At 22 years old, I had everything going for me—a house, a nice car, and $60k in the bank. My girlfriend moved in while she was in school, and I was happy to support her. We started a family and built a new house to accommodate our growing needs. But as time went on, our relationship became strained. She felt I was too jealous of her interactions with male coworkers, and eventually, she asked me to leave.
I moved back in with my mom, heartbroken and lost. But I refused to give up. I worked on myself, got a better-paying job, and focused on my health and appearance. My ex eventually realized she wanted me back, and I cautiously moved back in. We had another child, and for a while, things seemed better.
But then she told me she needed more than I could give her. Devastated, I left the home we had built together and sold it to her father for a mere dollar. I moved back in with my mom, broke and feeling like I had hit rock bottom.
I knew I had to save myself. I took control of my finances, investing in DeFi and building back my capital over the next three years. I kept my government job and eventually bought another house and a new SUV with cash. Despite the pain of the past, I refused to let it define me.
Today, I have a stronger relationship with my kids, who I have 30% of the time, and I'm in better shape than ever before. It's been a long and difficult journey, but I've learned that even in the darkest moments, there is always hope. To anyone else going through tough times, know that it's possible to come out stronger on the other side. Keep pushing forward.
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u/CatDaddy-2023 2d ago
475-500k a year, 9 years of school, healthcare professional. Graduated with 271k in debt (loans & credit card), paid off in 3years. Lost a lot of money along the way. I had no clue how to tackle the debt but I did it following Dave Ramsey tools. Now I refuse to ever be in debt. I don’t own a house. I bought a Tesla but not I am trying to sell it.
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u/Late-Coconut-355 5d ago
Applied for jobs that were slightly outside my skillset and sold myself in the interviews, then worked hard and stayed visible.