IlY Writes — Essays https://ilywrites.com/ Honest, first-person essays on money, wealth, investing and the psychology behind them, by IlY — a 15-year trader and co-founder of Quantum Algo. en hello@ilywrites.com (IlY) Wed, 12 Aug 2026 09:00:00 GMT I Asked Retired People What They’d Do Differently. Three in Four Said the Same Thing. https://ilywrites.com/retirees-would-do-differently.html https://ilywrites.com/retirees-would-do-differently.html Mon, 10 Aug 2026 09:00:00 GMT 1,600 retirees, one near-unanimous regret: start earlier. I Worked Out What $10,000 Actually Pays You in Dividends. It Wasn’t the Dream I Was Sold. https://ilywrites.com/what-10000-pays-in-dividends.html https://ilywrites.com/what-10000-pays-in-dividends.html Sat, 08 Aug 2026 09:00:00 GMT A sensible portfolio pays ~$300/yr on $10k — why that was never the point. I Compared Myself to the “Average American.” The Numbers Were a Trap. https://ilywrites.com/average-american-numbers-trap.html https://ilywrites.com/average-american-numbers-trap.html Thu, 06 Aug 2026 09:00:00 GMT How the mean-vs-median “ghost” is built to make you feel behind. I Saved for Four Years and Felt Like I Was Going Nowhere. Then Someone Explained the Math. https://ilywrites.com/first-100k.html https://ilywrites.com/first-100k.html Sun, 26 Jul 2026 09:00:00 GMT Why the first $100,000 is the hardest — arithmetic, not luck. Everyone I Know Seems Richer Than Me. Then I Looked Up the Average Net Worth by Age. https://ilywrites.com/net-worth-by-age.html https://ilywrites.com/net-worth-by-age.html Fri, 24 Jul 2026 09:00:00 GMT Why the “average” net worth is a mean-vs-median illusion. I Watched 6 Friends Try to Get Rich Trading. Here’s Where They All Are Now. https://ilywrites.com/six-friends-trading.html https://ilywrites.com/six-friends-trading.html Sat, 18 Jul 2026 09:00:00 GMT Six people, one dream, six endings — and it wasn’t about skill. Everyone in My Trading Group Is Broke. I Finally Understand Why. https://ilywrites.com/trading-group-broke.html https://ilywrites.com/trading-group-broke.html Sat, 11 Jul 2026 09:00:00 GMT 43 people, three years, almost no one profitable — and the real reason.