There's something real about living way below your means—and honestly, it might be the ultimate flex in a world obsessed with showing off.

Think about it. Two years back, my watch collection topped out at $75k. Now? The most expensive one I own costs $800. My car situation flipped too—went from a $120k vehicle down to driving a $15k one that does the job just fine. Even my living space shifted dramatically: rent dropped from $4k a month to $1,400.

It's not deprivation. It's clarity. Every dollar freed up becomes optionality. That's the real wealth metric nobody talks about.