Retirement savings as an electrician feel impossible with all these panel upgrades

Man, I've been pulling 200A service upgrades in old houses for 15 years now, and every time I look at my bank account, it feels like I'm just spinning my wheels on retirement. We're in Texas so the heat makes jobs non-stop, but after paying for my Milwaukee packs and all the 14/2 romex I go through, there's barely anything left for a 401k or whatever. Saw a thread on r/electricians where guys were talking about SEP-IRAs, but with the way material costs are jumping, I don't know if I can swing the contributions. Anyone else in the same boat? Guy in Electricians Network group mentioned maxing out Roths early, but damn, it's tough when you're solo and chasing every NEC-compliant job you can get. FML, thought this trade would set me up better by now.

Screw the big corps, they steal our margins while we risk our asses on live wires.

LOL, remember that time I shocked myself trying to 'save' on a ground rod? Retirement fund took a hit from the ER bill.

Set up an SEP-IRA through Fidelity, contributes 20% of your net easy. Start small, like after your first panel swap.

I feel you, brother. Been wiring since '05 and still hustling for every buck.

Same here, every job ends with me wondering if I'll ever stop climbing ladders.

Just hit my first 401k milestone after 10 years of service calls. Keep grinding.

Man, the struggle is real with these endless upgrades.

Ugh, taxes eat half my wire pulls income.

Found a financial planner who gets trades, cut my taxes by 15% on panel jobs.

This grind is exhausting, man.

Every spark I see reminds me I'm one bad job from broke.

Solidarity, we've all been there wiring in the rain.

LOL, my retirement plan is hoping the union pension pulls through.

Irritated as hell with how little sticks after buying breakers.

Watch out for those shady 1099 setups, they screw your future SS.

Haha, my savings? It's whatever's left in the truck after Home Depot runs.

Get a side hustle teaching code classes, pads the retirement fund.

PE vultures circling our industry, gonna ruin it for all of us.

Buddy got bought out, now regrets it big time.

Damn, the non-stop jobs leave no time for planning.

I hear ya, feels like a never-ending circuit.

Same boat, wiring old panels all day.

Haha, my retirement is fishing if I don't save now.

Set aside 10% auto from every invoice, changed my life.

Unions are the enemy, pushing us into lowball contracts.

Giggle all you want, but that one bad arc flash could end it all.

SharkBites in panels? Nah, stick to proper crimps for safety.

We've been bleeding cash to these corporate giants too long.

Man, the daily grind hits hard on savings.

What's your biggest deduction for electrical tools? Need tips.

Solidarity from another vet, keep pushing.

Insurance companies jacking rates on us sparks.

Flat rate pricing for upgrades? Game changer, fight me.

These PE roll-ups are destroying small shops like mine.

I feel the pain, solo life is rough.

How do you guys handle variable income for contributions?

Buddy's nest egg went poof after a lawsuit.

Haha, my plan is to wire one last mansion and bail.

Irritated with how jobs dry up in winter here.

Helped a guy set up his first Roth, game changer.