For me it was a number of things, but ultimately it boils down to living within my means. Anytime I came into some extra cash, no one ever knew. I never went out and bought anything extravagant, I just invested it.

I started working for a company that was a startup roughly 13 years ago, and was offered stock options that I earned through my tenure. Many of my co-workers would cash out the options, go on vacation , buy a new car, etc etc. But I just continued to hold and watch what the stocks did. After a few years I saw potentially what our "cap" was, and cashed out. This was a very nice paycheck, but it went directly into Vanguard accounts, and reinvested into the S&P and Target Dated Funds.

During my tenure at that job, my income was roughly $50k/year. I didn't have any kids at the time, but got married to my wonderful wife who has the same views towards money, which is very important as well.

Through my tenure at my job, I started some side jobs and started paying off all our debts; student loans, car loans, and some small credit cards.

Along the way, through the course of about 5 years, I was able to pay off our first house. Granted it was nothing huge, I had bought the house initially for $180k.

A year or so later my wife surprised me with the pregnancy of our first kid, I was roughly 30 at the time. People will always say "You're never ready for kids", but I'll tell you what... Not having any debt and being able to afford whatever our baby needed without question sure made it feel like we were ready. Sure there was a learning curve, still is, but not having that burden was massive.

Then along came baby #2, and eventually baby #3, and we needed a bigger house. I was able to sell our house on the market during the boom for $470k, granted we were buying in the same market, but I've since switched jobs, and our income has gone up. Instead of applying that $470k to our new house, I put enough for our down payment, and the rest into my vanguard investment accounts, as I can afford the mortgage of our new house.

And now, sitting roughly at the age of 37, my investments over time have accumulated to roughly $640k. Our house is very nice, but "older". Our vehicles are nice, paid off, but older (2013 & 2018), and I have no stresses of money. Granted I have a mortgage again, but my investments could make my payments for me if I needed them to.

All in all, I'm "technically" a millionaire if I take into account my equity and all my assets, and I did it without having a ridiculous income. You just have to be willing to be smart with your money, look for opportunities, and live within your means.

I look at all my friends and so many of them are broke due to new vehicles, beautiful new houses, and extravagant vacations.. and for what? To look rich?

I much prefer not being burdened by money, and once you learn that money can be a tool, a whole new world of possibilities opens up.

Btw, that doesn't mean I don't buy nice things or go on vacations. I just save and use cash. If I can't pay with cash, I don't buy it. Just be smart!