[esotericn]

You don't need to make gains. You need to spend significantly less than you earn. If you can work for 4 months and survive for 12 then you're there.

Compound returns are a nice bonus if they come, but not necessary. Sensible frugality is the important part.

[SolaceQuantum]

This doesn't work for people who want to have children, who may have healthcare conditions, who need to take care of their parents, etc. Spending significantly less than you earn won't mean much if inflation means anything you earn is worth less year over year.

[esotericn]

You need to maintain value or decrease at a very low compounded rate.

You don't need compound gains.

> This doesn't work for people who want to have children, who may have healthcare conditions, who need to take care of their parents, etc.

I'm not sure what this has to do with my point. You need to save more than you earn. If you can't or don't want to, so it goes. Not everyone's a winner.