The Two Builders Story
👨🔧 Same Age. Same Skills. Different Choices.
Meet two 30-year-old builders. Both earn similar amounts. But their financial strategies lead to dramatically different futures.
Subsidy Sid
Age 30, Self-Employed Builder
The "Smart" Grey Builder
Total tax paid: £180/year
Effective tax rate: 0.2% on £63,000 real income
Total benefits: ~£22,000/year
Body failing • Can't do heavy work • Still renting
Total: ~£42,000/year equivalent
Still renting • Benefit-dependent • Assets: £150,000
Roy
Age 30, BuildROI Verified Builder
The Honest Path
Total tax: £13,451/year
Effective tax rate: 22%
Roy has £39,000 LESS per year than Sid
"It's frustrating but I can't argue Subsidy Sid is crushing it!"
Gets mortgage: £180,000 for fixer-upper
Adds £60k value for £20k materials + hard graft
Remortgages • Releases equity • Moves to better area
Continues adding value • Property appreciates • Pension growing
Transitions to BuildROI Mentor
3 days/week • £33k/year • Body thanks him
Total assets: £850,000
NO RENT • Independence • Dignity • Legacy
📊 THE BRUTAL COMPARISON
Total Lifetime Value (Age 30-67)
Subsidy Sid
Total cash: £1,700,000 over 20 peak years
Rent paid: ~£600,000 over 37 years
Net Lifetime Wealth Created
Roy (BuildROI Builder)
Take-home: Lower year-by-year (£46k vs £85k)
But built: £600k home + £250k pension
Net Lifetime Wealth Created
Subsidy Sid had £400,000 MORE spending money
Roy created £700,000 MORE actual wealth
⚠️ THE MOMENT SUBSIDY SID REALIZES
Age 55: Subsidy Sid has spent £1.5 million through his hands over 25 years. He has £120k in savings. He still rents. His knees are shot. He can't get a mortgage now even if he wanted to.
Age 55: Roy has "only" taken home £1.1 million over 25 years. But he has £400k equity + £180k pension. From age 50 he has only been working 3 days a week in comfort. He owns his future.
Perception vs Reality
There is a case for both options:
- Subsidy Sid pays virtually no tax (0.2% vs Roy's 22%)
- Subsidy Sid has way more cash to spend year-to-year
- Subsidy Sid's quality of life FEELS better for years 30-45
Because:
- Wealth isn't what you spend, it's what you BUILD
- £400k extra spending vs £700k extra assets = Roy wins by £300k
- Subsidy Sid's £85k/year turns into £16k/year retirement poverty
- Roy's £46k/year turns into £24k/year retirement wealth + owned home
The Bottom Line
"Subsidy Sid will have spent £400,000 more than Roy over 25 years... but will have £700,000 LESS to show for it. Subsidy Sid's money went through his hands. Roy's money went into bricks and mortar he owns."
💷 Society's Cost
What does supporting Subsidy Sid cost taxpayers?
How many Subsidy Sids are out there?