In this episode, I shared our journey to investing our first $100,000 and the key financial lessons we learned along the way. If you’ve ever wondered how small, consistent steps can lead to big financial wins, this is for you. Let’s break it down!

From Financial Uncertainty to Financial Strategy

Our journey began in 2019 when I was put on medical leave, and my husband lost his job. This was the first time I created a budget because we had to survive on a fixed income. Budgeting led to debt payoff—$23,000 in student loans—and ultimately, to my discovery of investing.

By September 2020, I had already started investing in my Roth IRA. Inspired by The Simple Path to Wealth by JL Collins, I also enrolled in an investing course gifted to me by my sister, brother, and comadres. The course reinforced what I had already learned, but one tool changed everything: a retirement calculator.

This calculator allowed me to play around with investment numbers and visualize how much we needed to invest to reach early retirement. That’s when I thought: Maybe I can retire early too!

The $100K Investment Milestone

While I had some investment experience, my husband had zero dollars in retirement savings. He had cashed out his 401(k) in his twenties to pay for school, losing not only his savings but also paying penalties and taxes. I knew we had to change that.

I realized that the first big goal should be to get him to $100,000 invested, and we set out to make that happen step by step.

Maxing Out Retirement Accounts

At my first teaching job, I invested $500 per paycheck for four years. When I checked my old employer-sponsored account years later, my $20,000 in contributions had grown to $60,000, thanks to compound interest.

I also discovered contributions in my California State Teachers’ Retirement System (CalSTRS) pension that I had forgotten about.

Getting Husbae on Board (With Some Challenges!)

Convincing my husband to invest was not easy. He didn’t like the idea of his money being locked up until age 59 ½.

I made a bold (slightly chaotic) move and changed his 401(k) contribution to 53% of his paycheck without telling him. (Spoiler: He was not happy.)

After a big argument, we adjusted the contributions and made a plan to invest poco a poco (little by little) instead.

Using Retirement Calculators to Plan Backwards

I calculated that if we maxed out his 401(k) for five years in a row, we would hit the $100K milestone.

We set a long-term goal: $1.5 million invested, which would provide us with $120,000 per year in retirement.

This goal felt realistic and within our control compared to hoping for a big windfall, like selling a business.

Lessons Learned

Looking back, here are some key takeaways that can help you on your own wealth-building journey:

✅ You Don’t Need to Come from Wealth to Build Wealth – Small, consistent investments add up over time.

✅ Investing Isn’t About Perfection, It’s About Persistence – We made mistakes, but we learned from them and kept going.

✅ Retirement Calculators are Game Changers – Knowing exactly how much you need to invest makes financial independence feel achievable.

✅ Financial Independence is About Options, Not Just Money – The goal isn’t just to be rich—it’s to have choices and freedom in your life.

Your Next Steps

If this episode inspired you to think differently about your investments, take one small action today:

• Check your retirement accounts
• Use a retirement calculator to map out your goals
• Start investing—no matter how small the amount

And if you’re feeling stuck, I’d love to help. As a money and self-care coach, I can guide you through creating a financial plan that aligns with your goals. Let’s work together to ensure you’re on track to retire at the age you want.

What’s Next?

In the next episode, we’ll dive into creating a financial system that prevents debt cycles by prioritizing sustainable budgeting, proactive self-care, and intentional debt management.

Until then, approach investing like a game—one you play with curiosity, strategy, and excitement! And remember: your wellness is essential to the collective.