This is what I did that allowed me to retire at 35. It may or may not work for you. Not everyone gets a wife as supportive as mine 🙂
- Invest in yourself. Upskill and stay relevant to the larger industry and not just to your employer alone. It will ensure you are not exploited (overworked and underpaid). Relocate frequently, if you have to, to sell your niche skills and build new ones.
- Invest in property (house/land) where you actually plan to retire. It will make it easy to quit the rat race whenever you decide to.
- Invest in family. Marry and have kids early. They will be grown up and standing on their own feet by the time you are 50. You will have time and energy to take care of their children assuming they follow your footsteps.
- Invest in stocks, gold (jewellery for wife, children) depending on how much you are left with after the top 3 investments.