All true but I’ve made some small changes.
Years ago (retired now) my relative came up in a very competitive industry, made more difficult by their race/gender. Early on, a women in a senior role pulled them aside, sat them down and gave them advice.
They said always be prepared. Have plans for the unexpected. Be ready to change jobs, move, take new opportunities, etc. Don’t expect to have what you have today tomorrow, and don’t give more loyalty than you get.
Most importantly, they said start saving money. Anywhere you can, save what you can afford in an account that no else one knows about. Don’t touch it for small needs, or rainy days. This is a “Fuck You Fund”. Because one day you will have a person in your life to whom you will want to say “Fuck You”. Whether in a job or relationship or something else, having a secret store of cash, a Fuck You Fund will make it possible.
So they took the advice. They saved, they took every opportunity, they had great success. Decades go by, and the Fuck You Fund was never needed, just a bonus to an already nice retirement.
Then one day, their kid calls with a terrible relationship situation. I’ll spare the details but they needed a significant change and want to move home. At long last the Fuck You Fund is called into play. Without question, without a worry for the cost, a job, leaving everything behind, the now sizable Fuck You Fund made it possible to move their kid across the country and to a safer space to start again.
Sorry, longer story than I anticipated writing. I recognize the challenge to save in this environment but I hope this story and advice helps. I hope you can all build your own Fuck You Fund.