He Saved How Much?

Read an article in the Personal Journal section of today's Wall Street Journal profiling a man in his early thirties who managed to save $200,000 despite only having worked a little over five years at an annual salary of $55,000. And only a fraction of that amount was the result of investment appreciation. The article touts his frugality and financial discipline, and rightfully so. But what caught my eye was that he lives in Savannah, Georgia. Try doing the math in a high cost area like the San Francisco Bay Area. It's possible, but get used to plenty of roommates, public transportation, and peanut butter & jelly sandwiches (without the jelly).