If you aren't too money hungry and adapt the way you spend your money, it's actually pretty easy if my own experience is any indication. I graduated from business school in 2006 and started my company immediately with no initial capital. The company is nearing its 11th birthday.

I started doing websites for small businesses and festivals. Did it for 3 years, but I hated having to please clients who didn't understand the Internet. If you enjoy doing this, you can practically live off the yearly fees you charge for hosting your clients' websites after a few years as long as you keep adding new websites every once in a while to compensate for the clients you lose.

Having your own small business gives you plenty of time to come up with new ideas and try new things.

I started making my own websites to sell high-margin chemicals and precious objects. In niche markets like these, you can basically charge whatever you want. Some objects might remain in your inventory for a couple of years, but it isn't an issue if they don't have an expiration date and don't lose value over time.

Having plenty of time to think and learn new things also means that you get opportunities to be an early adopter when new stuff appears on the market. For instance, when new interesting domain name extensions are being created or start to become fashionable, I'm always eager and ready to buy some nice domain names. I also bought my first bitcoins when they were worth 4.50€ a pop and they're now worth 3650€ each.

Nearly all of the non-perishable things I buy for myself retain their value or become more valuable as time passes. Almost everything I own is an investment, but it doesn't feel like it because they're objects I love. I've been able to use the same money many times to treat myself and my overall net worth keeps growing.

I spend something like 1 hour at work every day. Someone who is more driven could make much more money than I do, but for me it's the perfect balance. If I die early, I won't regret having spent most of my time working. If I die old, my investments are diversified enough to guarantee that I won't struggle.