A man, who uses the handle “CarGuy” on Reddit, shared how his uncle retired just at the age of 45 – 15 years before the typical retirement age of 60 – with a bank balance of Rs 4.8 crore. His post on Reddit’s “IndianStockMarket”, which has received 8,900 upvotes so far, became even more interesting when he revealed that his uncle built this impressive corpus through a “boring, decent-paying job”. What’s more, he managed to do it all without investing in stocks or starting a business.
“He retired at 45 with Rs 4.7 crore,” read the title of the Reddit post that instantly drew people’s attention. But what made it more than just a brag was the advice that came with it. The Redditor recalled what his uncle told him at age 24: “You don’t need to earn more. You need to save early.”
“I didn’t get it. He lived in the same 2BHK for 30 years. Rode a scooter. Vacations? Kerala once. He made no extra income. No side hustle. Nothing,” he wrote in his post.
This left readers with one question: How was he able to save Rs 4.7 crore, given the inflation?
‘Invested in mutual funds’
It started back in 1998 when mutual funds were still a mystery to most people. That year, he invested Rs 10,000 in a mutual fund. A few years later, he began a SIP of ₹500.
“He put Rs 10,000 into a mutual fund in 1998. No one around him was doing that back then. A couple of years later, he started a 500 SIP. Whenever his salary went up, he increased it. 1000, then 2000, then 5000,” the Redditor shared.
He further said that after twelve years, he was investing around Rs 20,000 per month, and “never stopped”. That quiet consistency became his superpower.
‘Live in 2BHK, no upgrades’
The Redditor further shared, “When he retired at 45, I asked him how he pulled it off. He handed me his passbook and a sheet he printed from CAMS. The total corpus: 4.7 crore.”
He also said that he was “stunned” after looking at his bank balance. “He still lives in the same 2BHK. No upgrades. No show. But now he and my aunt are out travelling almost every weekend. Kids have no idea about his net worth. He’s my go to for anything practical in life. And honestly, he’s the only real inspiration I’ve needed.”