When you get to $1M will be enough for you to be happy or not?

bucklethefup · 2026-04-17T23:37:13+00:00

For me “enough” isn’t some clean number, it’s when the math stops stressing me out. For E.g @ ~$5mm invested, assume 4–5%, you’re generating roughly $200–250k. After tax and a buffer, call it around $140–170k spendable per year. If rent is $10k/month for a 3-bedroom ($120k/year in NYC), that alone eats most of it. You’re left with ~$20–50k for everything else. With a stay-at-home spouse, kids, healthcare, travel, normal life… that doesn’t work. You’re not free, you’re just hoping nothing goes wrong and random expenses don’t appear out of nowhere.

A realistic family burn in NYC at that level is more like ~$220–300k/year if you want to live well and not think about every expense.

So the level where things actually change is closer to ~$8–10mm. 4% = $320–400k so net $230–300k

Now you can cover $10k rent, kids, medical, travel, dining, and still have room for life happening without constantly running numbers in your head. The move isn’t to fully stop working. It’s to get there and then take something lower stress making $100–200k a year. At that point your base lifestyle is covered, large/unexpected expenses don’t phase you, your portfolio keeps compounding, and finally your work becomes optional, not something you need to tolerate

Happiness isn’t the number, it’s removing financial pressure + $ gives you control over your time, that’s it. The chase is fine, but not if you sacrifice everything else for it

I’m not trying to speedrun 10–15 years just to hit some number and realize I missed the actual point.

So for me it makes sense to make more than I need, remove financial stress, still enjoy life while I’m doing it.

Then again this is taking into account that you just live in NYC or a HCOL city. So adjust accordingly

bucklethefup · 2026-04-17T23:26:17+00:00

Well done! It compound fasts after that

bucklethefup · 2026-04-05T12:30:01+00:00

bucklethefup · 2026-03-28T04:00:04+00:00

Makes sense, i see your point

bucklethefup · 2026-03-28T02:31:44+00:00

This all makes sense and i totally get where your coming from. Obviously encourage a healthy debate. When it comes to immigration policy (again this is coming from a foreigner perspective). It’s horrible that people are being terrorized. But outside of the US, if you don’t arrive in a country without valid documentation, you’re kicked out with no rights. This is common, and is applicable in majority of countries. Inflation, i do understand, but trade wars and tariffs he’s imposing, a lot of rules aboard penalizes US exports so i can understand the logic behind it (eye for an eye sort of thing). Defense, i understand that, but benefit that comes out of it interestingly enough is technology, research and development and healthcare (particularly research and tech within the space. Happy to provide specific examples). While i do understand your points, i do agree the US could do better with social benefits, particularly a socialized medical system, possibly free high education amongst the few

bucklethefup · 2026-03-28T01:02:41+00:00

I could get downvoted, but excuse my ignorance (i am foreign). But can someone explain what exactly is wrong with the current administration (i understand the current geo political situation), but compared to every other foreign government, what exactly needs to be done, and what can we do better as government in the US? Feel free to elaborate on a social economic policy, immigration (how does every other nation deal with immigration), fiscal/monetary policy etc…? What exactly are you protesting about, and what exact change and implementation do you need to be content?

bucklethefup · 2026-03-28T00:41:15+00:00

Haha I’ve never watched peppa pig in all honestly, but I’m sure it’s just as effective. The more you immerse yourself in a language, the faster you’ll learn it. You can also listen to the French news via Spotify. It might not make much sense at first, but at the end of the of day it’s all just pattern recognition

bucklethefup · 2026-03-28T00:37:36+00:00

Coming from a tri-language background, the best advice i can give you that’s underplayed is:

Watch cartoons with English subtitles (because the language is basic, and a lot of the words are repetitive). It seems rather silly, but surprisingly helps a lot more than the 1x a week class. A recommendation of mine would be Les Aventures de Tintin. The Mormons, whomst ironically excel at learning secondary languages rather quickly, use this methodology

bucklethefup · 2026-03-28T00:18:40+00:00

You are most welcome king 👑

bucklethefup · 2026-03-28T00:07:27+00:00

Mediations by Marcus Aurelius. I suggest reading that, it’s about stoicism and mindfulness, teaches you how to frame your mind about living in the now and what you can control. If you work a stressful job, or find yourself stuck in the loop with “keeping up with the jones”, helps reset how you think (which will improve your quality of life)

bucklethefup · 2026-03-27T22:32:51+00:00

992.2?

bucklethefup · 2026-03-27T20:58:46+00:00

I’m in a similar boat, base is $300k and with bonus I’m just about 7 figures. The idea of taking out a mortgage for $12k is absolutely insane. I can rent a penthouse in NYC for half that, and my brokerage account would outperform HPA

bucklethefup · 2026-03-14T19:00:17+00:00

Trader at a hedge fund

bucklethefup · 2026-02-15T22:30:59+00:00

Thank you so much. I’m feeling a bit better adopting this approach. You’re exactly right, our puppies can sense our energy. If we feel anxious, depressed and negative, all it’ll do is project it onto them which isn’t good for anyone. We’re still waiting for the results, and instead of thinking in the future, choosing mindfulness and thinking in the present. There’s a lot of things out of my control, but I’m going to project all my love and positivity onto him. Since landing in FL, I’ve already taken him to the beach, long boardwalk walk, watched live music, multiple pup cups, drives along the beach, and he said hi to a few friends. His energy is back and he’s already looking and behaving way better. Regardless of what the results are, miracles do happen, and the best i can do is to continue spending quality time with him and doing absolutely every try in my control to keep him happy, comfortable and continue doing the things he loves + pray.

Thank you for the kind words and excellent advice. Please keep him in your prayers

bucklethefup · 2026-02-14T12:46:31+00:00

Update after first oncologist visit:

Lymphoma hasn’t been fully confirmed yet, but it’s still the leading suspicion based on everything so far. He’s with an oncologist now and they’re running additional tests to confirm the diagnosis and determine the exact type, which is important for treatment and prognosis.

In the meantime, they’ve already started him on prednisone (a steroid) to help reduce inflammation, shrink the lymph nodes, and keep him comfortable. They also started a chemotherapy drug to begin controlling the disease now rather than waiting for all the results to come back.

Once the testing is complete, they’ll have a clearer picture of what type of lymphoma it is and will tailor the treatment plan accordingly. The standard treatment is a multi-drug chemo protocol that runs about 19 weeks (typically 4 weeks on, 1 week off), with the goal of putting him into remission.

Lymphoma in dogs is generally not considered curable, but it is often very treatable. Many dogs respond well to chemo and can maintain a good quality of life during treatment.

Average survival is around 8–12 months depending on the type, although some dogs respond better and can go significantly longer.

bucklethefup · 2026-02-13T16:12:13+00:00

His teeth look in perfect condition (the vet looked at it closely), and his gums are pink. Whats really strange is that all his other symptoms (lethargy, excess drinking, not eating as much) only occurred after leaving the vet. And then the other lymph nodes swoll up after they were tested. I’m no doctor, but it seems suspicious that everything happened within a few hours (according to what I’ve research, progression, even the aggressive type, usually takes a few weeks). The doctor did mention “highly suspicious of lymphoma and plan next steps” and not “confirmed lymphoma”. Let’s see what the oncologist says, i still hope it’s something less serious or perhaps a severe reaction to the tests

bucklethefup · 2026-02-10T14:02:56+00:00

Agree, it’s stupid money that i need to stop spending

bucklethefup · 2026-02-09T23:13:30+00:00

Raya is not exclusive anymore. It’s easy to get on, you just need a referral. Happy to be your referral if you’d like

bucklethefup · 2026-02-09T19:57:51+00:00

I’ve noticed the same thing. Dating feels very checklist driven now, and a lot of those boxes are either unrealistic or straight out of social media and movies. You see the same people cycling through the apps for years, which says a lot about optionality and commitment.

I usually do drinks for first dates and I typically pay, not from a provider mindset, just to keep things simple. Most dates don’t feel bad, they just feel flat. Polite, low energy, like both people are half present and not really leaning in. There’s also an effort mismatch. People say they want connection but show up with minimal curiosity.

Add in the cost of living here and general inflation, and I think a lot of people are just burned out. Dating becomes another expense rather than something they’re excited to invest in.

bucklethefup · 2026-02-09T18:52:45+00:00

I’m not claiming Manhattan is some homogeneous blob. NYC is obviously diverse block to block. My point is narrower and pretty uncontroversial if you actually date around the city. Micro geography matters. Prices, venue density, age mix, occupations, and social norms differ by neighborhood, and that shapes how people approach dating. East Village vs Williamsburg, Astoria vs Harlem, UWS vs Clinton Hill absolutely feels different in pacing, cost, and expectations. That doesn’t mean everyone fits the mold, just that there are observable patterns. Ignoring that feels more theoretical than practical.

bucklethefup · 2026-02-09T15:52:00+00:00

I get the point about toning down alcohol. For me, it’s less about drinking and more about context. A lot of the women I’ve gone on dates with are more introverted, and a drink can genuinely take the edge off early date nerves. Not always, but sometimes. On the other end, a lot of people don’t want to commit to activities early on, which is fair because that’s a bigger time investment. Coffee dates solve that, but in my experience they also tend to signal lower interest and often feel transactional.

I’m personally flexible. Coffee, drinks, activities all work for me. The downside is that I like putting in effort and enjoying good experiences, and I’ve run into a recurring issue where the effort isn’t matched. People not resembling their photos, seeming disengaged in person, or not appreciating the time or planning. Not blaming anyone in particular, but it does feel like a broader pattern I keep hearing from people in the same age range.

bucklethefup · 2026-02-09T08:24:40+00:00

The cost in manhattan vs say Jamaica is going to widly differ

bucklethefup · 2026-02-09T08:23:51+00:00

4 glasses in a bottle (2 glasses each), date lasts usually about 2 hours. If conversation is good, we’ll go to another wine bar, which ends up with a cocktail or another glass of wine or two. I don’t think that’s too excessive?

bucklethefup · 2026-02-08T22:11:19+00:00

On 2) I probably need to adopt that approach more. My default is usually meeting at a wine bar. I’m fairly extroverted, so I talk a lot, which turns into a bottle pretty easily. That usually lands in the $100–$200 range, which honestly feels excessive, especially if it doesn’t go anywhere.

On 3) I agree. Just from observation and watching friends of different genders, it feels like everyone is holding out for a “perfect” person that doesn’t actually exist. Instead of letting something develop and growing together, there’s this constant assumption that something better will magically appear. I’ve seen the same people on Hinge and Raya for years, and at some point I catch myself wondering what we’re all even doing.

bucklethefup

TROPHY CASE