Clipping coupons. Watching sale ads. Shopping Aldi like it's a survival strategy. That's the financial routine one 30-year-old described in a Reddit post — and she's wondering why it feels like everyone else already cracked the code to getting rich.
"There's so much money in the world," she wrote, "and there's no good reason why I shouldn't have any or why it's so hard to make ends meet."
She's not asking for a Lambo or a Lululemon lifestyle. What she wants is painfully reasonable: a little land, a modest home, enough to fix the water heater without giving up groceries.
"I don't want to be super rich and have an excess of things," she said. "I just want enough money to buy some land and build a house and not have to worry about not being able to pay for something… to fix something if it breaks without giving up paying something else."
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But what really stung her? Watching teenagers rake in six figures while she's digging through circulars to find 89-cent canned corn.
And she's not wrong — at least, not entirely. Some teens are making six figures. Whether it's YouTube ad revenue, viral TikToks, dropshipping scams that somehow work, or selling courses on how to sell courses, the image of a "teen millionaire" has become weirdly common. But for most people — especially those over 25 without family money — it still feels like a fantasy.
So, she asked the question that cuts through every neatly packaged self-help book and Instagram hustle reel:
"What is the secret to making so much money without working your life away?"
One commenter offered this reality check: "The six-figure income in your teens is a way-outlier… You are comparing yourself to the top 0.001% or just liars."
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Another didn't sugarcoat it either:
"My uncle worked his a** off searching for and/or trying out one get-rich-quick scheme after another. He's now retired and penniless."
That's the thing — the real secret might be that there isn't one. But that didn't stop Reddit from trying to answer anyway.
A few laid out their formulas.
"Be smart, work hard, be lucky, don't be unlucky. Pick any three," one wrote.
Another said bluntly: "Get a job. Be good at it. The money will come."
Others pointed to the not-so-small advantage of family support.
One parent admitted, "I'm letting my daughter and her fiancé live with me rent-free. No utilities. No grocery contributions. I never had that. They're already ahead of their peers."
Another user put it more bluntly:
"A big predictor of financial success is being smart enough to be born with rich parents."
But it's not all cynicism. One commenter offered a surprisingly hopeful take:
"I think you'll look back on your life in five years and go, ‘Wow, I can't believe it was that easy.' The only difference between you now and your future self is just the awareness of how to live the life you want."
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In fairness, some teens are wealthy because they're creators, coders, or crypto gamblers who hit a hot streak. But in many cases, it's the same old story: generational wealth, low expenses, and a well-filtered social media feed.
Many don't pay rent, buy their own groceries, or even pay for their phones. As one Redditor pointed out, "You're comparing your reality to someone's highlight reel."
So is there a way out without burning out?
Some say yes — just not overnight. The usual advice came rolling in:
- Live below your means.
- Invest early, even if it's small.
- Learn a high-value skill.
- Network like your life depends on it.
- Create multiple income streams.
- And stop chasing secrets and start building systems.
One comment wrapped it all up with this: "There is no secret to make it easy. It is worth it to better yourself, live on less than you make, and sacrifice for the future."
It's not flashy. It's not six figures by 19. But it's real. And for most people — including the exhausted Aldi-sale shopper who just wants a roof and a break — that might be the closest thing to a "secret" that actually works.
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