A man has opened up about why he now has mixed feelings about saving a huge amount of money before 30 — and the methods he used to do it.
Living frugally often means saying no to everyday comforts, whether that’s grabbing fast food, making spur-of-the-moment purchases, or joining friends for nights out.
And while plenty of people aim to build savings, not everyone has the discipline, patience, or circumstances to stash away large sums over a relatively short period.
Airic Z, now 31, said his approach to money started early. He began putting cash aside as soon as he started earning at 21.
He explained that money “wasn’t always readily available” while he was growing up in Canada with first-generation immigrant parents, which pushed him to become careful and strategic with what he had.
But he also admitted that the extreme frugality he practiced came with real downsides. By the time he reached his first $100,000 at 23, he said the sacrifices had started to take a toll physically.
As one example, he said he used the same pillow for 12 years, only replacing it after developing “headaches.”
He also claimed he ended up needing multiple fillings because he refused to buy an electric toothbrush until he was 23.
Even basics like socks were stretched far beyond their lifespan. He said he kept wearing pairs even when they had holes, which led to “blisters” from the constant friction.
Despite those cutbacks, he said his strategy of saving cash and investing—including stock market investing and using stocks and shares ISAs—helped him build significant wealth.
Airic later moved to the UK, where he said he’s able to save around £40,000 ($53k) per year. He added that he earns £107,000 ($142k) annually and has a goal to “retire early.”
He said: “When I started off working, I wasn’t making life changing money, but I realized I needed to be investing my savings and allocating towards my future.
“In terms of value I have saved over £300,000 but I saved my first £100,000 by the time I was 25 through being frugal and investing.
“When trying to hit first my first £100,000 I was aggressively meeting a minimum of 50 per cent of my wage in savings.”
Even with the results, he said he now looks back and wishes he’d handled some things differently—especially choices that affected his health and comfort.
He said: “I used the same pillow too long, for many years. One of the side effects is the pillow is too flat and doesn’t support the head very well. I felt like it started giving me headaches. It’s only when I got a pillow with better support I stopped getting headaches.
“I felt like I was constantly damaging my skin and I had irritating blisters, and I realized I needed to refresh my socks more often.”
He also said his intense focus on saving sometimes came at a personal cost, adding that he feels he “neglected” his parents by not travelling back to Canada to see them as often as he could have.
Now, he says he makes a point of occasionally choosing to “splurge,” so his budget doesn’t become so strict that it impacts his wellbeing or relationships.