1Mo·

Investing to fight your way out of the underclass.

Summary after almost 3 years of investing.

I started saving/investing in the second half of 2023 at the age of 30. Up to this point, I rarely had more than €500 in my account (the 2 seconds it took for my wages to arrive before all the reminders and bills were debited don't count). To be honest, most of the time I had around minus €500 in my account. In a bright moment in 2023, I had the idea of buying a few silver ounces. In case the world collapses as an emergency currency and all that 😅. With €200 in my pocket, I felt like Warren Buffett when I drove to the nearest precious metal dealer. I even dressed up for the occasion with a coat and everything 🤣

Anyway, those first coins made me lick blood, so to speak, and from then on I started to educate myself. First came YouTube videos from finanzfluss and blocktrainer in which I heard the words ETF and Bitcoin for the first time. This led me to Gerd Kommer, the Etf Pabst. I devoured books and slowly began to realize that it might still be possible for me to at least work my way up financially despite having little education and few career opportunities. 3 years haven't even passed yet and today, on January 14, 26, I have €25,000 in my portfolio for the first time. Not much for most people, not much for me with my current mindset, but an unattainably high sum for the guy I was back then. 25k and debt-free is more than I could have imagined back then. Today I'm even trying to start my own business on the side so that I can invest even more. I would never have dreamed of that. I don't know if it's all just a nice illusion or if I'll still have to spend the rest of my life pedaling on the hamster wheel, but at least for now it feels like I'm on the right track, even if some people around me think I'll lose everything because it can't work out as we little ones aren't allowed to "grow up" anyway. I believe in it because I want to believe in it and, at least at the moment, I'm proud of myself and don't regret having made these decisions.

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44 Commentaires

Cash B.@Lumimyrsky

1Mo

very very strong. Butter up the next bear market and you'll be a millionaire by 50

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INVESTDALF@der_Ahnungslose

1Mo

@Lumimyrsky thank you 🤗 being a millionaire probably won't work out with my low savings rates, but of course you're right! I'm looking forward to the next bear market. Something I've also learned in the meantime is that crises are opportunities 😁

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Krush82@Krush82

1Mo

@Lumimyrsky I'm also dreaming of a million before I retire, and that without making continuous, relevant contributions - whether it will work out in the end .... who knows........there's still a long way to go - but I believe I can do it. That's what counts, just keep at it and persevere

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Markus@alemaorecifense

1Mo

@der_Ahnungslose
First of all: CHAPEAU! I'll use an old but still relevant proverb: self-insight (or "realization") is the first road to recovery. Sometimes it's strange constellations or situations from everyday life that make you think. Then you add a portion of longing and a bit of ambition - and you have 25k full! In any case, I wish you every success.
For me, the realization came in my mid-30s, boredom at work, below-average income, just had my 2nd child, 200k house loan...
Fast forward 2026: 8 condominiums with a total of approx. 1000€ cash flow (tenants pay off loans), 500k in the deposit, house paid off - STILL in the same job with below-average income (but only part-time), but 25k dividends, self-employed on the side, own company on the side...far and wide no inheritance or lottery winnings in sight.
I don't want to brag!!! But I can tell you that the million is not impossible, not even with an average job! By being self-employed on the side, you open up new sources of income, the surplus from which you can invest directly, because the cost of living is already covered by your main job! However, the first 100k are known to be the most difficult.
It always turns out differently than you think, the more you "do", the more people you get to know, regulars' tables, workshops, further training... The more people you get to know, the more possibilities and opportunities open up. The more you invest and the more you learn, the greater the likelihood of catching a tenbagger.
One of the things that got me started was reading "Rich Dad, Poor Dad". There I discovered the power of loans. In 2014/15, I put 3 small building society loans (no Schufa, no proof of use!) of €10,000 each into Auxmoney P2P (ø10% return) and some nice shares, we then put the income and profits into real estate and new shares - some of them went very well, but some didn't at all.
2026 will be decisive, we will probably sell 1 or 2 properties, then either buy an apartment building or a lot of dividend stocks. In 2013, I would NEVER have thought that I - with my "limited knowledge and skills" - would achieve this!
So: be greedy, but stay sensible, read, read, read - and do it!

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Wealth-Accelerator@Wealth-Accelerator

1Mo

25,000 euros in a deposit at 30 is a lot for most people. Just not for most people who are here in our bubble. But top outside the bubble. Keep it up 👏

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barnie.@barniedieCapriSonne

1Mo

I wish you only the best

The story is simply 1/1 the same as mine, I am also 33 years old but unfortunately I only started a good 6 months ago.

Still proud of my journey so far though
I come from 1k debt with a debt collection company and have made it to a net worth of about 8k so far and currently have about 3.5k of that invested

My monthly savings rate is unfortunately not that high, only 300 euros investment and 100 euros nest egg (until it's full).

I literally worked my butt off for a good 6 months with extra layers to improve my cash until I built a system that now works without extra layers

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INVESTDALF@der_Ahnungslose

1Mo

@barniedave7 thank you, I wish you the best too! perfect! I can't manage more than 3 to 400 euros a month either. Just keep at it! Now I'm slowly starting to feel the price gains, it's getting more and more fun over time 😁
What is your strategy? What do you invest in?

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barnie.@barniedieCapriSonne

1Mo

@der_Ahnungslose I am one of the more boring ones, I would say
I only invest in the Ftse all world, plus 15 percent stoxx Europe 600 and 15 percent Bitcoin.
Classic buy & hold

I once started looking at individual stocks, but I quickly realized that I'm not the type for that and should leave it at that

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INVESTDALF@der_Ahnungslose

1Mo

@barniedave7 my portfolio doesn't look much different, except for the fact that I prioritize and heavily overweight Bitcoin until 2030, after that I butter more in the FTSE.

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Kalle@Brazzo_Muc

1Mo

You are a great example of what the mindset is all about. The silver coins were the initial spark and then you kept informed and kept going. At 30, you still have a lot of time ahead of you. All the best for the future!!!

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Chris@Multibagger

1Mo

Congratulations on your journey so far. Keep it up! And you can be very proud of yourself and what you have achieved. And with your journey from € 200 to € 25,000 in just under 3 years, more people will soon be following you here than me. After all, I also started with €3,000 in 2023 and haven't reached €25,000 yet, but I'm taking on the challenge 😉😂😎

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Eddi@financial_ninja_104

1Mo

Honestly. I think it's almost impossible to reach a million by the time you're 50, as Tom just said. But...
Yes, what you've achieved so far is very impressive. And quite honestly, it doesn't matter whether it's 100k, 250k or 500k by the time you're 50.
The important thing is to keep at it and take advantage of compound interest. In other words, reinvest dividends. Then you'll have plenty of pocket money to supplement your pension until you retire. For me, it's around 700 euros in the months with few dividends and an annual average of over 1200 euros per month. But I've also been invested for more than 30 years and unfortunately I didn't have much money or the courage to buy these shares when they were down 80-95%. Today I would probably have more courage to add to my portfolio. The journey is the goal. It doesn't matter whether it's another 10, 20 or 30 years to the million.

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Wiktor_06@Wiktor_06

1Mo

Very cool post with good self-reflection.
I hope that your mindset continues to run like this and that your self-employment comes to fruition.

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TheCashConcierge@TheCashConcierge

1Mo

Similar story to me. You're great, give me a hug! We'll make it 💪

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Boris@Lautern98

1Mo

Don't put yourself under pressure, you've turned the corner, that's important. Very few people invest at all. SO....STAY TUNED !!!!!

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Metis@Metis

1Mo

Similar to me, keep going!

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Tobi60@Tobi60

1Mo

Very cool. At some point, the penny drops every time, you think.
Unfortunately, for some people it never does.
I hope the self-employment thing works out and then the penny really will drop at some point.

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HyFive@HyFive

1Mo

Good performance & keep up the good work 👏🏼! Find a cheap wife who can drive, mine cost 57k last month. I love her! 🤤🙉🫡

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INVESTDALF@der_Ahnungslose

1Mo

@HyFive thahaha since I don't have a private car at the moment and only have more company cars, mine always drives her car when we have to go somewhere 😂😂😂😂

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Danone1986@Danone1986

1Mo

Awesome, keep it up. From dishwasher to millionaire is a cooler story anyway.

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Gomerdoc@Gomerdoc

1Mo

Yes, millionaire at 50, or let's say 60, 30 years of investment: that is absolutely feasible, in my view even unavoidable.

Stiftung Warentest did a very good job of calculating this in November 2025 for ETFs, using MSCI WORLD as an example:
Historically, sometime between December 31, 1969 and June 30, 2025, an average monthly savings rate of €77 over 30 years would have been enough to have started a fortune of €100,000 on average with ZERO starting capital.
With the S$P500 (if I remember correctly, not Warentest) €500 a month over 25 years would have been enough to make a million.

I have no idea what your monthly savings rate is now. But it may not always stay this low. And the key point is: time!
If you have it, don't gamble, but invest fundamentally sound:

Then a considerable amount will come out of it at 60. And as I said: 1 million is not rocket science. Dividends received either reinvested in ETf or always reinvested by yourself, or manually reinvested in shares (the latter is much more complex and difficult, however, and I doubt that there is anyone out there who has been doing this consistently for over 30 years and has the desire to trade individual shares for over 30 years:

I've been doing it now to varying degrees and varying extents since 1985, and quite honestly, stocks are increasingly getting on my nerves😆, age-wise, even though I don't make any relevant losses but actually only gains over time.
I increasingly want to have my peace of mind: and that means clearly switching to ETFs):

That works. Keep at it!👍💪🏼

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INVESTDALF@der_Ahnungslose

1Mo

@Gomerdoc I actually have quite an aggressive plan and I am aware of the risks. I invest €200 a month in ETFs (FTSE all world and Msci Em) and €2-400 a month in Bitcoin until 2030, plus occasional silver and gold purchases (physically I also have a bit of a hobby collecting silver coins). From 2030 I will reduce my BTC purchases to a minimum and then put the largest savings rate back into Etf's.
The idea would be that I only have to work 1 to 2 days a week from around my mid-50s. And in order to realistically achieve that, I have to take a bit of a gamble. That's why the front running with Bitcoin, so to speak, because the etf with the 5-8% average won't run away from me. But Btc might

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Tjakos@Agent007

1Mo

May it be granted to you and all of us 💪

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Thoŕton@Notroht

1Mo

Stay tuned! It will work out!

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UliB@UliB

1Mo

A lot of respect!!! 👏

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Thom@Depot_7777

1Mo

welcome to the club, most people want to be better off towards retirement and lead a dignified life. ... that is the way ...

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Noob S.@Noobster

1Mo

Totally impressive. To build up such an amount from nothing with presumably manageable available cash.

But what I find much more important is your attitude to money, saving and co. You now have this asset forever and will "earn" or save significantly more than this 25k, I'm sure of that.

Keep up the good work!

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Burbank@Burbank41

1Mo

Simply very nice to read! 🎉

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Thilo M.@ThiloM

1Mo

Bravo! The mindset will absolutely pave the way for you. The 100k will come sooner than you know it and from then on it will feel really good!

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Charmin@Charmin

1Mo

You are a shining example of how you can achieve anything with commitment. I am absolutely certain that - if you continue on your chosen path - nothing (and no one) can stop you. You have already achieved so much!

Absolutely amazing - keep it up!

The community expects updates from you - at least once a quarter!

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INVESTDALF@der_Ahnungslose

1Mo

@Charmin Thank you very much 🤗
Well, if that's what the community expects, I'll do my best not to disappoint you 😁
It's just stupid that I'm not the best writer, so I can only give updates on how I'm doing but unfortunately I don't have the talent to give you really valuable contributions 😅

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Julian@MoneyISnotREAL

1Mo

A great life story! 🚀 If you look around you - there will always be someone richer than you.

Using that as an argument for not investing would be absolutely wrong. Just as wrong as your circle of acquaintances. Those who don't do it have already lost without even knowing it. Just because you don't see (or like to see) the "risk" doesn't mean it's not there. 😏

An investment of €200, €300 or €5,000 a month is better than no investment or, as you describe it, a negative balance (debt). So hats off to your performance and good luck with your investing 🚀

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Pleni70@Pleni70

1Mo

Great story . Hats off, keep it up. Success is not luck 🙏🏻💪🏻

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Marius B.@value_seeker_2140

1Mo

Respect! Just don't forget to continue saving even in the bear market, and you will do great.

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Seba89@Seba89

1Mo

Top performance! I also started investing and financial education late (35), even though I'm better middle class in terms of income. So that shows that your "status" has nothing to say. You've taken the first step and achieved a lot. I wouldn't compare myself in monetary terms either, that's just depressing and it's all out of competition anyway. You're doing the right thing by comparing yourself with your former self and looking at the path you've taken.
Really chapeau!

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Ina M.@peacock

1Mo

Congratulations on your decision back then, respect for your performance and your commitment until now 👍👏👏👏👏👌... You're definitely on the right track... Keep setting yourself goals with dates, feel your way into these goals, get involved in them and do what you can to achieve these smaller individual goals. The rest will fall into place over time. Everything has its right time to show up and develop. And continue NOT to listen to those who want to keep you down just because they never got to the nasty point where YOU are now.
A small side note: I also started getting involved with the stock market and investing in 2023. First ETFs, then individual shares, and now I'm at home in trading. I love it and will continue to study hard. And there is only 1 person around me that I can talk to about this topic. And I wish I had come fahon much earlier. I'm 51 now...
So keep up the good work.... All the best and continued success!!!

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xkriegerxb@Traxian

1Mo

I think it's a strong development and I find myself in your contribution too. To be honest, I needed something like this so that I wouldn't forget what I was doing it for. Thank you very much!

It feels like sometimes it takes debts or strong low points in life to make us try something new, which then gives us a kind of perspective again... That's my thought as I read your post, my own experience and the comments. 🤌🏻

Always fascinating...

Have a great Sunday and thank you for your transparency! :-)

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TradingHase@TradingHase

1Mo

That's great. Anyone who wants to can change their lack of education. Even if you have limited financial resources, it's up to you to make targeted use of them.
I think your path is great. Don't take off, don't start gambling with money you still need.
At that age, I didn't have any money reserves either, as I had to drag a lazy skin through it, so I know how you felt 3 years ago.
Keep up the good work! 👍🏼

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Maximilian M.@Maxmannheim

1Mo

Respect!!!! Keep it up

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