Starting Your Career Later in Life? (How to Catch Up and Save Big!)

What would you say to those who start their career later in life? I started in the thick of the Messy Middle and can now live comfortably while saving 25%. I can’t help but feeling behind after missing my best investing years. Any words of encouragement?

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[andrewrivas]

I felt this one. I'm finishing college in my late 30s because I started working full-time, low-wage work at 18. I feel behind because compared to traditional career paths, I am, but I'll be better equipped tomorrow than I am today, and I hope I can make a big financial push throughout my 40s and 50s.

[mere_cat]

34 is not too late to get started. My net worth was negative until 37. I had to play catch up a bit, but I’m now on track again after diligently saving the last 8 years. You can do it!

[honjokun]

I worked in the gig economy and then did a PhD. I finished at 35 with virtually no savings but I was debt-free. My salary doubled overnight, so I simply kept the same lifestyle and invested 50% of my income and saved another 10%. It's been 5 years and I now I have my own condo (paid in cash) and a portfolio of 2x salary (6x the living expenses). I check my privilege and I am grateful.

[RustyDice]

Woke up to personal finances and planning in my late 3os. Racing to catch up and yes, biggest regret is not starting earlier - to balance it, I can say I avoided car, credit card, and personal loan debt, and did pay off my student loans early - so I have the head room to now have a near 5o% savings rate -

[ChanelleAnim]

I’m 28 years old and i feel like I’m late. just woke up to personal finance information when i had my baby at 27….i personally wish i did more in my early 20s and had the information that im getting now… would have found a career that was more stable but also would have saved more aggressively then

[circrna]

I came from different country, did my PhD and postdoc. It took time and I got my first real job at 38. My wife is in similar situation. I am 51 now. We are not rich but saved enough not to worry about retirement. Especially giving the fact that I will work till 62. It is possible. But you need to be disciplined.

[lilyhong]

This is so relevant to me I'm scared to click into this video Thanks guys!

[thekiller]

I felt this. I graduated 2 years late at age 24 and I feel so dumb

[desiv]

Oh good, a video on starting later in life... So many of these are talking to people starting in their 20s and 30s. And for so many people....
...
"I am in my 30s..."
...
Oh.... 30s is later in life?
....
I need to lie down... 🙂

[chadgriffith]

Started my career late as a psychologist and I'd be retiring or working less in 5 years, only curious to know how best people split their pay, how much of it goes into savings, spendings or investments. I earn over $150k per year but nothing to show for it yet.

[soulfulmaple]

I just graduate college late at 24 but landed a good paying job . My friends graduated at 21, am I late ?

[vinylEarthlink]

Back in the 60s and 70s, this was common. People graduated from college, and then hitchhiked around Europe or ran a theatre company or organic hippie cafe. When they approached 30, they woke up and got with the program.
My buddy who was getting his PhD in History, he was still in grad school when he was 44. He had a wife and son, too - yes, his wife did work. Unfortunately, she ran off with another guy.