A determined Japanese man went viral in China for his extreme 21-year journey to financial independence.
In his early 40s, the man dreamt of escaping his demanding, overtime-heavy job. To achieve this goal, he embarked on a strict FIRE (financial independence, retire early) plan.
Earning roughly US$32,000 annually, he adopted the online nickname “The Man Who Will Definitely Resign” for motivation. Until today, his real identity hasn’t been revealed.
He cut his living expenses to the bone, residing in a company dorm for just US$190 a month. Furniture and appliances were all found second-hand.
His meals were incredibly frugal. A typical dinner might consist of pickled vegetables, a sour plum, and some rice. Sometimes, he’d only have an energy drink obtained with convenience store points.
He joked that his life resembled a 20-year prison sentence, comparing his work to incarceration and his meager meals to prison fare.
His dedication went to great lengths. When his microwave broke, he resorted to cooking sweet potatoes year-round on his coworker’s car windshield during the summer heat.
He forwent air conditioning and heating, opting to cool down with a wet T-shirt in the summer and warm himself with squats in the winter.
His perseverance paid off. After two decades and ten months, he announced on social media that he’d saved a staggering US$860,000. Inspired by his journey, he plans to write a book on saving money. That would be his passive income for the future.
Financial freedom allowed him some improvements. He finally enjoyed hot meals with a new microwave and even started having four boiled eggs for breakfast.
However, his joy was short-lived.
The recent depreciation of the yen significantly reduced the value of his savings. This unexpected hurdle left him feeling discouraged and questioning his sacrifices.
Image—The Japan Store Blog
One Response
That’s pretty much 20 years of h*ll right there. No further comment.