I live in Houston and earn $285,000 each year. Here's how I plan to save more than half my income this year.

Tech Insider : Business, Sports
Headshot of Morgan S.
Houston resident, Morgan S., said she's working, budgeting, and investing to retire early with $1.3 million.

Jamie Lim

I moved from Germany to the US for my career. The high cost of living in California shocked me, but it's worth it to live here.

Tech Insider : Business
headshot of a woman with long blonde hair
Christiane Schroeter.

SLO Town Studios/SLO Town Studios

I'm the founder of a soju brand and the chair of the LACMA Art + Film Gala. I work between Seoul and LA and rarely sleep before 3 a.m.

Tech Insider : Business, Travel
headshot of Eva Chow
Eva Chow.

Cho Gi Seok

This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Eva Chow, chair of the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA) Art + Film Gala and founder of the soju brand KHEE. She splits her time between Seoul and Los Angeles. The following has been edited for length and clarity.

I built an AI content tool for creators that hit $50,000 in revenue in 6 weeks. Here's what it takes to vibe code successfully.

Tech Insider : Business, Environment
headshot of a man with a purple background
Vitalii Dodonov.

Courtesy of Vitalii Dodonov

I'm a financial planner and dad. Trump Accounts come with a free $1,000, but I still prefer my current savings strategy.

Tech Insider : Business, Environment
a family of three on a park bench
Eric Roberge and his family.

Beyond Your Hammock

I grew my salary to $180K a year while paying down $40K in credit card debt. I've gone from ashamed to empowered.

Tech Insider : Business, Style, Travel
Lindsey S with Salary Journeys treatment

Courtesy of Lindsey S; BI

Lindsay Stockall is a 38-year-old who splits her time between Newport Beach, California and Halifax, Nova Scotia. Business Insider has verified her income and employment history with documentation. The following as-told-to essay has been edited for length and clarity.

I paid off $150,000 in student loan debt in 16 months. Here are the sacrifices I made and the jobs I worked to become debt-free.

Tech Insider : Business
a woman poses in a white coat with her husband
Arden Missal and her husband, Jordan.

Courtesy of Arden Missal

We quit our jobs to buy a sailboat and enjoy a 'first retirement' — it's been worth the risk

Tech Insider : Business, Economy, Technology
Charles Boddie and Bianca Chan with their dog
Charles Boddie and Bianca Chan had careers on the upswing, but they quit their jobs and bought a sailboat to travel and pursue hobbies. Months later, they are happy with their decision.

Courtesy photo

I make $300,000 and don't feel financially secure living in Seattle. It's still not enough to support my family of four.

Tech Insider : Business, Economy, Travel
Senior Product Manager Eshaan Jain
Senior product manager Eshaan Jain

Courtesy Eshaan Jain

I'm the CEO of a mocktail company. I embrace the art of puttering and balance the 'yucky' part of business with creativity.

Tech Insider : Business, Environment
the CEO of Mingle Mocktails poses with her product
Laura Taylor.

Mingle Mocktails

This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Laura Taylor, the 54-year-old founder and CEO of Mingle Mocktails, based in Berwyn, Pennsylvania. The following has been edited for length and clarity.

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