🔎 Disclosure: WE DON’T SELL ANY COURSES. Money Vice is reader-supported. When you buy through our links, we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. The ideas presented on this site are opinions and are presented for entertainment purposes only. We’re not licensed financial advisors. The information presented should not be construed as financial or legal advice. Always do your own due diligence.
1. Define Your Version Of Financial Freedom
Everyone says they want “financial freedom,” but what does that even mean to you?
For some, it’s quitting the 9–5 and sipping coconut water on a Tuesday.
For others, it’s just not having to check the price before ordering guac.
Freedom looks different for everyone, and that’s what makes it powerful.
You just need to decide what it looks like for you before chasing it.
👉 Here's How You'll Do It: Write down what your ideal “free life” looks like. Use Notion to describe where you live, what you do, and how you spend your days.
📌 SAVE IT FOR LATER! 📌
2. Figure Out Your “Freedom Number”
Once you know what freedom looks like, you’ve gotta know the price tag.
This number is basically the amount of money that lets you live that lifestyle. Without worrying if rent’s due or gas prices just spiked again.
It’s your North Star, guiding every financial move you make from now on.
FYI, most people aim for enough savings or investments to cover their yearly expenses times 25 (thanks, FIRE movement).
Sounds nerdy, but that one number keeps you focused when life throws distractions your way.
👉 Here's How You'll Do It: Open a free compound interest calculator online and plug in your expenses x 25 to see what your “freedom number” looks like in real time.
3. Start Tracking How You’re Spending Your Money
You can’t fix what you don’t track, right?
Money slips through your fingers like sand if you don’t know where it’s going.
That $7 coffee every morning? Yeah, it adds up faster than you think.
Tracking your spending isn’t boring. It’s like uncovering the truth about your habits (and sometimes, the truth hurts).
But when you finally see those numbers laid out, control replaces chaos.
👉 Here's How You'll Do It: Download a free app like Rocket Money and link your accounts. It’ll show you exactly where your money disappears each month.
Bonus Tip: Turn Tracking Into Real Growth
You’ve already started tracking your money, so now it’s time to make that effort actually grow something.
Think of it like going from counting calories to building muscle. You’ve got the awareness, now it’s about progress.
Once you see where every dollar’s going, the next move is letting your money do some of the heavy lifting for you.
That’s where an automated investing platform like Betterment quietly steps in and helps your money grow while you focus on literally anything else.
Thousands of people use it because it turns “saving” into “investing” without you needing to babysit charts or time the market. Pretty sweet, right?
👉 Here's How You'll Do It: After tracking your spending with Rocket Money, open a free Betterment account, set your monthly deposit, and let it automatically invest toward your long-term freedom goals.
4. Create A Budget That Fits Your Financial Freedom Goal
A budget isn’t a punishment. It’s the GPS that gets you to freedom faster.
Without it, you’re basically driving blindfolded while life keeps adding tolls.
You don’t need a complex spreadsheet; even a simple 50/30/20 rule works wonders (50% needs, 30% wants, 20% saving/investing).
The key is making it realistic so you actually stick to it instead of rage-quitting after week two.
Once your budget aligns with your “freedom number,” the path gets much clearer.
👉 Here's How You'll Do It: Use Rocket Money to map your spending categories and adjust until it fits your lifestyle.
5. Build A Starter Emergency Fund
Let’s be honest. Life loves a plot twist.
Flat tire, surprise bill, sudden job loss. Yeah, it’s like the universe testing your patience.
An emergency fund is your safety net when life decides to throw a wrench at your plans.
Even saving $1,000 can make you breathe easier and keep you from swiping that credit card in panic mode.
Think of it as your personal “chill fund” for when things get messy.
👉 Here's How You'll Do It: Open a high-yield savings account (try Betterment Cash Reserve) and start auto-transferring $50 every payday until you hit your first $1,000.
6. Pay Down High-Interest Debt Fast
Debt is like that one friend who never leaves after the party’s over.
You think it’s gone, but it’s still there. Eating your snacks and draining your wallet.
High-interest debt keeps you stuck, no matter how much you earn.
Every dollar going to interest is a dollar you can’t use to buy your time back.
You can’t chase freedom with a ball and chain around your ankle.
👉 Here's How You'll Do It: List your debts using Undebt.it (free site), focus on paying the highest-interest one first, and automate minimums for the rest.
📌 SAVE IT FOR LATER! 📌
7. Automate Savings And Investing Each Month
Consistency beats motivation every single time.
You won’t always feel like saving, but automation doesn’t care about your mood.
It’s like a loyal assistant that transfers money before you get tempted to spend it.
You stop guessing where your money went because it already went somewhere smart.
The best part? You start building wealth while binge-watching Netflix.
👉 Here's How You'll Do It: Set up automatic transfers on payday. Use Betterment, Fidelity, or Robinhood to auto-invest a percentage of your income into ETFs.
8. Grow Your Income With New Skills And Side Hustles
You can’t save your way to freedom if your income’s stuck in 2019.
New skills are your real-life cheat codes for financial growth.
Every skill you learn. Writing, design, coding, marketing. Can add another stream of income.
And let’s be real, side hustles aren’t just for teenagers anymore.
The more you earn, the faster you build options, not just savings.
👉 Here's How You'll Do It: Learn one skill on Udemy or Coursera this month and use Fiverr or Upwork to turn it into cash.
9. Build Multiple Streams Of Passive Income
Passive income is the dream. Money that keeps flowing even when you’re not working.
It’s not about being lazy; it’s about working smarter so you can actually live.
Whether it’s dividends, digital products, or real estate, passive income gives you space to breathe.
You stop depending on one paycheck and start building safety through diversity.
Imagine money coming in while you’re sleeping. That’s freedom in motion.
👉 Here's How You'll Do It: Start with something simple, like Fundrise for real estate or set up a print-on-demand shop with Etsy to earn while you sleep.
10. The Most Powerful ’Secret’: Stay Consistent With The Right Habits
You don’t need perfection. You just need repetition.
Financial freedom isn’t one big leap; it’s a bunch of small, boring moves done daily.
The real secret is staying consistent even when it feels slow.
That’s what separates “trying” from “doing.”
Your future self will thank you for every small, smart move you make today.
👉 Here's How You'll Do It: Create a daily money habit. Like checking your accounts for 2 minutes or reading one page of The Simple Path to Wealth. And stick to it.
📌 SAVE IT FOR LATER! 📌
And that’s it!
Never forget it…
🍔 A Bigger Bank Account Is Waiting For You!
😉 Dale!
