At first, of course, I didn’t tell anyone anything at all.
Back in the day (around 15 years ago), I declared, “I will never support myself with work.” The audience consisted of my father, mother, eldest sister with her boyfriend, and his parents.
I had to explain a bit that I meant working my butt off from 8 to 4. White-collar jobs were less common in my immediate family’s experience, so I didn’t know about any other kind of work than reluctant drudgery.
I studied enough to get a general education in economics and some formal certifications of my competence (Bachelor of Business Administration in Financial Management).
Through a few twists and turns, I even ended up as a CEO. A bit reluctantly, but I had no choice.
I accumulated a real career of a little over a decade when my portfolio began to signal that leaving working life was possible. If not immediately, then in the foreseeable future.
At that point, my wife, for example, didn’t know much about the size of the portfolio. My entire salary could be put into consumption, and the portfolio’s capital didn’t need to be increased; it lived its own life. This continued for a few years.
Towards the end of my career, I told my wife that I was running out of gas, but I could support the family for a few years under all circumstances, even if I quit my job. My wife was a student at that stage and didn’t earn much, though she didn’t spend unnecessarily either. In addition to all other blessings, I have been blessed with a good spouse.
A couple of years after quitting work, I lived off savings (selling an investment apartment, etc.). The portfolio lived its own life, and at €400,000, I showed the amount to my wife. I was a bit nervous beforehand because we had lived quite frugally (renting), and her reaction could have been bitter. However, she said, “You seem to know what you’re doing, so keep it up. She’s going to work.”
Two years after this, the portfolio crossed the million-euro mark. I warned relatives in advance before the matter became public. The reception was mostly positive, except for my mother-in-law, who was a bit ambivalent. But mothers-in-law are mothers-in-law.
There wasn’t much surprise (at least not to my ears) from any direction. I’ve probably always been considered a bit odd, and a million-euro portfolio wasn’t a huge surprise in the end. And the amount of money doesn’t show in our daily lives in any way, and I especially have to give my wife credit for not letting money affect her in any way.
My mother still doesn’t understand how I make a living. “You’ve been unemployed for so many years.” She still saves her savings for her children. At some point before the million, I told her the account balance, and my mother couldn’t comprehend the sum. A few years ago, I advised her to put her savings into a fund. Then, when she went to the bank, she wondered, “How can she have so much money in her account?” (in the fund). I just said I do this for a living. Try to imagine the sums I deal with?
We have spoken about money with our children very sparingly. Everyone seems to have inherited their father’s and mother’s temperament. As stingy as the devil. We don’t make a big deal out of it.
Our children’s friends, especially my son’s, have pointed out that we have a hundred square meters more space than they do and both parents live at the same address. And all the children have slightly too new iPhones (recycled from parents or otherwise used).
Occasionally, the children ask questions like, “Dad, what do you actually do for work?” or “Have you ever done real work?” When faced with these questions, I try to wiggle my way out and explain in a way they can understand based on their age. The questions are good in themselves because I also have to think about what my work actually was?
My father never got to see my adult endeavors. He probably wouldn’t have understood or approved of all my actions. Still, I try to do everything in a style that brings a smile to his face. I owe him a lot.
