Despite earning nearly Rs 3 crore a year, a 24-year-old engineer employed at Meta says he has chosen a stripped-back way of living, without a car, TV, or couch.
Raymond Zeng, based in the San Francisco Bay Area, said in an interview with Business Insider that he avoids splurging on material possessions and instead channels a significant portion of his income into savings and investments. His minimalist lifestyle is a conscious financial decision, he said.
“I’ve been told by many of my friends that my living situation is very ‘Spartan.’ I don’t own a car, couch, or even a TV,” he said.
Zeng currently earns $306,500 (about Rs 2.93 crore) a year.
“I think a big part of personal finance is choosing where to spend money and where not to. Right now, I’d rather prioritise investing, travel, and hobbies over filling my apartment with things I don’t use very much or experiences that don’t lead me to a fulfilling life.”
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According to him, his regular monthly income averages between $7,000 and $8,000 (roughly Rs 6.7 lakh to Rs 7.6 lakh), not including bonuses and stock options that form a significant chunk of his total earnings.
Once taxes and retirement payments are deducted, he is left with roughly $4,000 (about Rs 3.83 lakh) in take-home pay each month. His savings, he said, can vary from $5,000 (about Rs 4.8 lakh) to as much as $20,000 monthly (roughly Rs 19.2 lakh).
“My goal is to retire around age 30, though there are a lot of moving parts when it comes to retirement planning,” he said.
According to him, the monthly rent for his one-bedroom apartment stands at $2,600 (Rs 2.5 lakh), a price he considers reasonable given the high housing costs in the region. Apartments of a similar size closer to his workplace can command rents ranging from $3,500 (Rs 3.35 lakh) to $3,700 (Rs 3.54 lakh) a month.
He said the location was another major factor in his decision, citing its proximity to a Bay Area Rapid Transit station along with easy access to cafes, supermarkets and boba tea outlets.
“I live pretty minimally by design. My living room doubles as both my workspace and hobby area, and instead of owning a TV, I just use my computer since I rarely watch television. I also don’t host people often, so I’ve never felt much pressure to furnish the apartment beyond the basics.”
According to him, his monthly expenditure on travel and leisure activities ranges between $400 and $500 (Rs 38,328 to Rs 47,910). He also pays close to $1,000 (Rs 95,820) every year in annual credit card charges.
The 24-year-old noted that airline points and travel incentives help him cut down on flight costs. Given that his day-to-day expenses are relatively modest outside housing, he prioritises credit card sign-up rewards over earning points through regular spending.
The software engineer revealed that much of his non-essential spending goes towards activities within the furry community, including character design, commissioned art projects and convention visits with friends he regularly meets in VR environments.
According to him, the community revolves around people adopting anthropomorphic personas as a form of creative identity. He described it as an important outlet for self-expression beyond the structured nature of his job in the tech industry.
“One of the biggest ideas I’ve taken from the FIRE community is to build the life you want and then save for it. However, I’m flexible — if my circumstances change, then so will my retirement plans,” he concluded.
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