There is no point in making a lot of money, says Favelado Investidor – 12/17/2023 – Market

Known on social media as Favelado Investidor, with around 1 million followers, digital influencer Murilo Duarte, 28, today has a million-dollar net worth that generates periodic income of up to R$20,000 per month.

But until a few years ago the reality was very different.

“When I started studying, I didn’t know about this concept of financial freedom. The idea I had was that I wanted to get out of poverty”, says Duarte, who was raised by his mother and grandmother in the community of Jardim João 23, in the west zone of São Paulo. Paul.

He says that the first step to achieving financial independence was to define how much equity should be invested that would be enough to generate the income necessary to cover living costs.

In mid-2015, he set an amount of R$2 million in investments to generate sufficient income via the payment of dividends and, thus, meet the desired standard of living.

Having defined the value to be achieved, Duarte’s focus turned to the ways he could achieve the objective. “I knew I had to increase my income, make more money,” he says.

He says he was studying accounting at the time, which helped him get job openings with salaries that allowed him to make periodic savings.

“I worked in an audit office and, sometimes, the partners asked if I could stay late to help with some demand. I didn’t think twice, as I knew it would be more money in my pocket”, says the influencer.

He adds that the 13th salary, the PLR ​​(Profit Sharing) and additional income, which even involved sales of VR (Meal Vouchers), were also used to reinforce financial savings.

The big leap came with the beginning of publications on social media, in which Duarte deals with topics related to finance, with an effort to bring dry topics to young people who also come from poorer communities with simpler language, without “economese”.

He states that, when he was able to make his first savings, he invested in fixed income public bonds and real estate funds, as they are options that pay recurring dividends.

“The important thing is to take the money and invest it. I know a lot of people who make good money, but don’t save anything. In the end, the person has income, but doesn’t build wealth”, says Duarte.

The secret to financial independence, points out the influencer, is to build assets that generate passive income, but without losing sight of spending control.

The issue is not limited to having a scarce life full of restrictions, but rather being able to spend more and choosing not to spend, highlights Duarte. “Today I have a higher standard of living than I did a few years ago, and I could even increase it a lot, but I maintain a more simplified standard, without ostentation.”

The objective set in 2015 was achieved at the turn of 2020 to 2021, with the accumulated assets generating an income of around R$4,000 per month. Today, income reaches around R$20,000 per month, coming from a diversified portfolio that includes, in addition to fixed income and real estate funds, shares, investments abroad and even crypto assets.

Since then, the “Favelado Investidor” brand has transformed into a company with 15 employees, which offers courses on investments in variable income and fixed income. To date, around 9,000 students have participated in the training, and the expectation is to double the number by the end of next year.

“Look for ways to increase your income, whether by starting a business or pursuing a career in a professional field and earning higher salaries, but worry about taking part of the income and converting it into assets. This is what, in the medium and long term, will bring wealth “, suggests Duarte.