Yes, my $100K story has been in the New York Times, Business Insider, and on ABC News — and yes, I did it in 2019. But every time it goes viral, my DMs say the same thing: "Cool for you, Tori, but that was a different economy." So let's actually talk about it. In this episode, I'm breaking down exactly what I would do differently if I were starting from zero in my early 20s today — what still works from my original system, what I'd change, and why hitting your first $100K in 2026 is harder, but absolutely not impossible. This isn't a motivation episode. This is a framework episode built for the economy we're actually living in, with real numbers, real talk about systemic barriers, and a step-by-step system you can plug into your own money starting today.
Want to build your first $100K, but not sure where to start? Visit https://herfirst100k.com/ffpod to get my free guide.
Get my HYSA recommendation, my book, Financial Feminist, and more resources from this episode at https://herfirst100k.com/ffpod
How I Saved $100K at 25: https://herfirst100k.com/financial-feminist-show-notes/how-to-save-100k/
00:00 Intro
00:18 How Tori Hit $100K (Origin Story)
00:55 What Actually Went Into It
02:43 What Tori Didn't Have
03:28 Why 2016–2019 Was Different Than Now
07:18 What's Genuinely Harder Today
09:10 The Latte Factor Era Is Dead
10:03 The System Still Works
11:57 If I Was Starting Today
12:11 Step 1: Stop Trying to Be Perfect
15:22 Step 2: Don't Write Off Someone's Story
17:35 Step 3: Redefine What Your $100K Means
19:43 Step 4: Automate Your Savings
22:19 Step 5: Focus on Growing Income
23:57 Negotiate Every Job Offer
26:01 Step 6: Start Investing Now
29:11 Step 7: Values-Based Spending
31:11 The Full Plan Recap & Free Resource
32:28 Closing: You're Not Behind
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