“Just save 50% of your income and invest it wisely and you’ll be rich!”

Sure, I’ll just casually do that while working a minimum wage job, paying 70% income tax, soaring inflation rates, ridiculous living costs and student loan debt on a shoestring budget. I’ll also re-invest all my returns regardless of the economic situation and forget that a 2% market downturn will result in me losing a full months worth of savings.<br><br>“Invest your money wisely with an expert advisor or a robo investor to make greater returns and lower risk! Just be sure to pay the 3% management fee and watch the market continue to plummet! Also, be sure to invest for at least 20-30 years to ride out the downturns and make greater returns.”<br><br>“But what if I’m 40+ and struggling to make ends meet? I’ll never be able to save anything! I’m likely to be evicted and made homeless at any moment because my income is so inconsistent and unreliable! The cost of living is so high and I’m just struggling to afford food and shelter! What then?” <br><br>“Just get a better job with higher pay and save more money! And invest wisely! Maybe consider a side hustle to increase your income by 50% and a passion project to increase it by another 25%!! Just put in 12 hour days, six days a week and watch the returns flood in!!! You’ll be seeing 6 figure returns in no time!! Also, try to live in a cardboard box or a tent in a field and cancel Netflix to save money. Move to a cheaper area of the country/world and live in a slum. Give up all vices and hobbies and never spend money on anything enjoyed, ever.”<br><br>I swear to God if I have to hear this kind of thing just one more time I might actually strangle someone.<br><br>Edit: thanks guys, didn’t know this would get so much attention. I do understand the point about not spending more than you make and not going into debt, I’m just soundin’ off about the general narrative that anyone can save and invest their way to riches.