Going from 180k to 300k was a mini life change for us: without any effort, we save so much money. It always makes me laugh when I see people here claiming it's tight on 400k or more. At that level, I would feel truly rich, since I feel comfortable now already.

For me, a "life changing" amount of money would be money that covers one major category of life - mortgage, children's college, etc. I don't need it to be enough to stop working to consider it something that changes my life.

$5m + and I'd retire early. Already have $2.5m.

I’m about 500k away from being able to buy my forever home in cash, so if I got a 500k lump sum rn that would be life changing

Anonymous wrote:High 6 figure income or 5M lump sum. I’m at 300k/yr + 1M net worth.

This sounds about right.

I make close to $300K/year now. For me I'd say $450-500K/year would be life changing - in the sense that I'd be able to save a lot more towards retirement while also affording a better quality of life for my family.

Anonymous wrote:If you were already earning 200-300/year and a tech company offered you a salary that you described as “life changing” what would that actually be? 500? More?

What does that money then buy?

Zero. My wife won’t let me spend it so kinda irrelevant.

I made 990k once and drove a used car and mowed my own lawn.

I made 60 once and drove a used car and mowed my own lawn

it is completely different depending on the person.

100k to someone with warren buffett's skills will multiple into the millions very quickly while to some one else would be squandered on luxury cars or other status symbols in a heartbeat.

Husband earned a $2.2M signing bonus when he changed jobs a few years ago. It was a lot for us, and I expected that to feel like changing but it mostly just eased our financial anxiety a bit.

$5m for me. It would allow me to go part time and/or get a less stressful, more meaningful job.

At $800K HHI and $6M net worth in a VHCOL (e.g. NYC) -- it would take $5M+.

Even then we would continue working but it could afford us an easier family lifestyle with kids.

Around 50 million. That would be enough for me to buy a nice house in cash, fly private occasionally and live off the investment returns.

$500k for me. I needed it one time only, not every year.
This meant I got to quit my job - absolutely life-changing.
I trade part of it and live off the difference. Most of it is in the market growing though. Some of it is also in guaranteed monthly payments that covers all housing and bills.
My job is still there waiting for me if I get bored at home.

Anonymous wrote:Truly life changing? Would have to be between 5-10 million to even think about quitting my job.

Anything less than 5 million - it’s nice and I certainly wouldn’t turn it down lol - but my life would not change much.

Agreed

It would be 5M for me. That would allow me to quit my job, invest in real estate and start a business self-funded which I am passionate about and try to 10x that amount