A Reddit post by a young tech professional has set off a lively debate online after he revealed that he built a net worth of ₹1 crore within just four years of starting his career.
In his post, the 25-year-old explained how he reached the milestone shortly before his 26th birthday. “I reached 1 crore net worth, across equity (Indian + US), MFs (Indian), deposits and money at hand at the age 25. It was shortly before I turned 26, but my aim was to reach that at 25. So that’s a target achieved I guess,” he wrote.
‘IIT Tag’ Helped Career, But Stress Took a Toll
The poster, an IIT graduate from a middle-class background, credited the “IIT tag” for opening doors in his career. While financial stability has allowed him to live comfortably, from eating healthy and staying fit to pursuing hobbies, he admitted that it has also changed his relationship with money.
“I can splurge (read ‘waste’) money, without much consequences. I have games on my PS5 worth tens of thousands that I haven’t played for more than 30 mins… I fly premium economy most of the time, and get business class upgrades 1-2 times a year,” he shared.
But alongside the perks, he was candid about the hidden costs of achieving the goal. “While the financial freedom spoils you, the stress from work is extremely high. Quite literally, it breaks you down. I have lost hair, lost weight, at times drank alcohol very frequently just to cope with it. In my defense, I am taking better care of myself now.”
Reddit Reacts: Praise, Caution and Reality Checks
The thread quickly went viral, with Redditors offering both encouragement and words of caution. One user warned: “Please do not drink alcohol alone when you are stressed… Someone I know lost his life because of alcohol addiction. If you are stressed, go out with friends or work out, and limit alcohol intake as a stress buster (especially alone).”
Others offered a dose of reality. “You are probably not reaching 10 million from a job in India anytime soon… First reach a million. You will understand that it is not as easy,” one commenter wrote. Another added, “Sad part is, you can’t even buy a decent 2BHK with 1 cr in Bangalore. Loan is the only way.”
Looking Ahead: Philanthropy on the Horizon?
Some users urged him to think about giving back. When asked about philanthropy, the techie admitted he hasn’t done much yet, but has considered sponsoring education or medical treatments in the future.
“Giving away money still feels hard, apart from the small stuff like tipping and all,” he said, while adding that he has made small contributions, including donations to Wikipedia and a dog rescue initiative.
Disclaimer: This story is based on a post shared by a Reddit User. The details, opinions, and statements quoted herein belong solely to the original poster and do not reflect the views of Financialexpress.com. We have not independently verified the claims.