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1. Live Below Your Means
Have you ever met someone who makes good money but still lives broke?
Yeah, that’s what happens when you spend like your paycheck is infinite.
Living below your means doesn’t sound sexy, but it’s the foundation of wealth.
If you always need the latest shoes, gadgets, or overpriced avocado toast (yeah, I said it), your bank account will always stay empty.
The key here is discipline.
You don’t need to live like a monk.
You just need to spend less than you earn, so you have money left over.
Small Choices Build Big Results
When you cut small expenses, you give yourself freedom later.
It’s not about never having fun. It’s about making smarter fun.
Trade that daily $7 coffee run for a $2 homemade version, and you save $150+ a month.
That’s money that could buy shares of an ETF, not another sugar rush.
👉 Here's How You'll Do It: Track every expense for one week with an app like Rocket Money, then cut 2 things you don’t actually need and put that cash straight into savings.
2. Save Money Before You Spend
Most people get their paycheck, pay bills, buy stuff, and hope something’s left.
Spoiler: nothing’s left.
You flip the order.
You save first, then live on the rest.
This one simple flip is how people build wealth on average incomes.
It’s not about how much you make. It’s about how much you keep.
Pay Yourself First
Think of savings like a bill you can’t skip.
When you set aside 10–20% of your paycheck automatically, you never even feel it.
The money grows quietly in the background while you keep living your life.
Do this long enough, and one day you’ll look up and realize you’ve got tens of thousands set aside.
👉 Here's How You'll Do It: Set up automatic transfers on payday in your bank app so 10% of your check goes straight into a high-yield savings account like Betterment Cash Reserve.
3. Pay Off Debt As Fast As You Can
Debt is like that toxic ex who keeps texting you. Drains your energy and money.
High-interest debt, especially credit cards, will keep you broke forever if you let it.
You make $2,000, but your $600 minimum payments steal your future.
You can’t build wealth when interest eats your money alive.
Kill Debt Before It Kills You
Pick your method: avalanche (highest interest first) or snowball (smallest balance first).
The avalanche saves you the most money.
The snowball gives you quick wins so you stay motivated.
The trick is to stick with it like it’s your new religion.
Once you knock out debt, you suddenly free up hundreds of dollars every month for investing.
👉 Here's How You'll Do It: Use Undebt.it (a free tool) to create your payoff plan, then throw every extra dollar at your target debt until it’s gone.
Bonus: Make Saving And Investing Effortless
You just finished knocking down debt (or at least making a plan for it).
Now you’re thinking, “Cool… but how do I actually start investing without losing my mind over charts and numbers?”
Here’s where tech does the heavy lifting for you.
You don’t need to be glued to CNBC or know the difference between a bond and a baguette.
You just need an automated system that moves your money into smart investments and grows it while you live your life.
Automation Builds Confidence
Apps today can do what only financial advisors used to.
They analyze your goals, set up portfolios, and rebalance everything behind the scenes.
And FYI, millions of people are already using them because it feels less intimidating than trying to “pick stocks.”
It’s not about being lazy.
It’s about making your money work quietly while you’re busy doing literally anything else. 🙂
👉 Here's How You'll Do It: Download Betterment, set up an auto-deposit of $25–100 a week, and let it handle all the investing, rebalancing, and compound growth for you while you keep focusing on paying off debt and building wealth.
4. Invest Early Even With Small Amounts
Here’s the truth: you don’t need to wait until you “make more money” to start investing.
That’s just procrastination in disguise.
You start now with whatever you’ve got, even if it’s $50.
Because the real magic isn’t how much you invest. It’s how long the money stays invested.
Time is your biggest weapon.
Compounding Is Your Best Friend
Compound interest is like planting a money tree.
You water it with small amounts, and it grows way bigger than you expect over time.
Put $200 a month into a simple S&P 500 index fund for 20 years and you’ll have around $120,000.
Keep going to 30 years, and you’re pushing $350,000+.
See? That’s generational wealth forming from small seeds.
👉 Here's How You'll Do It: Open an investing account on Acorns, and let it just invest your daily spare change starting today. You’ll be amazed by how much money you can stack.
5. Build Multiple Income Streams
Depending on one paycheck is like sitting on a one-legged chair. Unstable and risky.
If your boss cuts hours, you’re cooked.
But if you’ve got a side hustle, investments, or rental income, you’ve got backup.
That’s how people build wealth without a huge salary. By stacking streams of income like bricks.
More Income Streams, More Freedom
Think of each income stream as another safety net.
Start small:
- Freelance writing, tutoring, or design gigs online.
- Rent out your car or a spare room.
- Sell digital products like templates.
- Dividend-paying stocks that hand you cash quarterly.
The more you add, the less you rely on one paycheck.
And that means you control your time, not your boss.
👉 Here's How You'll Do It: Pick one side hustle from Fiverr, Upwork, or TaskRabbit, commit 5 hours a week, and funnel every dollar earned into your investment account.
6. Buy Assets That Grow Over Time
You want to get rich?
Stop wasting money on things that lose value the second you buy them.
Cars, clothes, and gadgets? They all drop faster than Miami humidity after a storm.
Wealth is built by owning assets. Stuff that grows in value or pays you back.
Think stocks, real estate, or even a small business.
Assets Are Money-Making Machines
Every dollar you put into an asset works like a little employee.
Stocks? They can pay dividends.
Real estate? It can bring rental income.
A side business? It can grow into a full-time money machine.
You don’t need to own a skyscraper.
You just need to choose assets over liabilities and let them grow.
👉 Here's How You'll Do It: Buy one share of an ETF (like VTI) or start with fractional shares on apps like Robinhood, and keep adding more instead of buying stuff you don’t need.
7. Avoid Lifestyle Inflation
Here’s the trap: you get a raise, and instead of saving it, you upgrade your life.
Suddenly, the old apartment isn’t good enough.
The car feels “too old.”
Your taste in restaurants jumps from fast food to fancy rooftop dining.
Congrats, you’ve just joined the “make more, still broke” club.
Keep The Same Life, Grow Your Money
Lifestyle inflation kills generational wealth before it starts.
Every time you earn more, keep living like you did before for a while.
That extra cash should go to investments, savings, or paying off debt.
Imagine saving 100% of your raise for 3 years.
You’d build a safety net big enough to relax while your friends stress.
👉 Here's How You'll Do It: Next time you get a raise, set up an automatic transfer of the extra amount into your investment account so you never even touch it.
8. Use Credit Wisely To Build Wealth
Credit cards aren’t evil.
The way people use them is.
If you treat them like free money, you’re toast.
But if you use them responsibly, they become powerful tools.
Good credit saves you thousands on mortgages, car loans, and even insurance.
Credit Can Be Your Ally
When you pay on time and keep balances low, your credit score climbs.
That score is basically your financial GPA.
With good credit, you qualify for better rates.
Better rates = more money saved.
Use cards for the points or cashback, but pay in full every month.
Otherwise, the interest wipes out the rewards and then some.
👉 Here's How You'll Do It: Use a card like Chase Freedom for cashback, charge small monthly expenses like Netflix, then set autopay to pay it in full every month.
9. Protect Yourself With Insurance
Nobody likes talking about insurance.
It feels boring… until something happens.
Then you either thank your past self or cry into your empty wallet.
One accident, illness, or disaster can wipe out years of savings in minutes.
That’s why insurance is wealth protection, not just another bill.
Safety Nets Save Fortunes
Health insurance, renters’ or homeowner’s insurance, and life insurance matter.
They keep your family safe and your money intact.
Wealth isn’t just about building. It’s also about protecting.
Think of it like wearing a seatbelt.
You hope you don’t need it, but when you do, it saves everything.
👉 Here's How You'll Do It: Get free quotes from sites like Insurify, compare coverage, and lock in a basic plan that covers your health, income, and property.
10. Take Advantage Of Tax Breaks
You know who gets the best deals in this country?
Not celebrities.
Not athletes.
It’s the people who understand the tax code.
Taxes are your single biggest expense, bigger than rent, food, or Netflix combined.
When you legally lower them, you keep more money working for you.
The Rich Play The Tax Game
Tax-advantaged accounts like 401(k)s, IRAs, and HSAs exist to help you.
You put money in, pay less in taxes now, and let the money grow tax-free.
Companies even give you free money in the form of a 401(k) match.
Not taking advantage of that is basically throwing away free wealth.
Even small contributions add up big when they grow without taxes eating them alive.
👉 Here's How You'll Do It: Open a Roth IRA with Betterment, set up automatic contributions of even $50 a month, and enjoy decades of tax-free growth.
11. Keep Learning About Money
Money isn’t a “set it and forget it” thing.
It’s more like working out. If you stop training, you lose the progress.
The good news? Learning about money has never been easier.
Podcasts, YouTube, books, even TikToks (yeah, some are actually good).
The more you learn, the smarter your choices get.
Knowledge Keeps You Ahead
Markets change.
New tools pop up.
Rules around taxes shift.
If you stay curious, you’ll spot opportunities others miss.
That’s how regular people turn into wealthy people. They never stop being students.
👉 Here's How You'll Do It: Pick one book like The Simple Path to Wealth or one podcast like BiggerPockets Money and commit to consuming 15 minutes daily.
12. Automate Savings And Investments
You know what kills most money plans? Willpower.
You plan to save, but then you see sneakers on sale.
You plan to invest, but then the weekend “accidentally” drains your account.
That’s why you remove yourself from the equation.
Automation makes you rich while you forget about it.
Systems Beat Motivation
When your money automatically moves to savings or investments, you don’t have to think.
It happens every paycheck.
You avoid temptation because the cash is gone before you even see it.
It’s the financial equivalent of hiding the cookies so you stop snacking.
👉 Here's How You'll Do It: Log into your bank app, set recurring transfers into a high-yield savings or brokerage account on payday, and let the system do the heavy lifting.
13. Focus On Long-Term Goals
Quick wins feel good, but building wealth is a marathon, not a sprint.
You’re not trying to “get rich quick.”
You’re trying to “stay rich forever.”
That means thinking in years and decades, not days.
The short-term might bring ups and downs, but the long game always wins.
Patience Pays Off
The S&P 500 has always recovered from crashes.
Real estate dips, but long-term it climbs.
People who panic-sell always lose.
People who hold steady come out ahead.
Generational wealth requires that mindset: slow, steady, and unshakable.
👉 Here's How You'll Do It: Write down your 5-year, 10-year, and 20-year financial goals in a notes app and review them once a month to keep perspective.
14. Teach Family Money Habits
Building wealth isn’t just about you. It’s about passing it on.
What good is leaving money if your kids blow it all in two years?
Generational wealth only lasts when the next generation knows how to manage it.
That means teaching money lessons as early as possible.
Passing Knowledge Is Power
Show kids how to save.
Teach them about credit cards before they get one.
Explain why investing matters, even with $10.
When they grow up, they’ll avoid the mistakes you made.
That’s how wealth doesn’t just last. It multiplies.
👉 Here's How You'll Do It: Open a free custodial savings account for your child on Fidelity or Greenlight and use it to teach them money basics hands-on.
15. Create A Plan To Pass Wealth
Here’s the hard truth: without a plan, your money might not even go where you want when you’re gone.
The government will happily take a chunk if you don’t decide in advance.
That’s why estate planning is part of wealth-building.
Even if you’re not “rich rich” yet, planning matters.
Protecting Your Legacy
A simple will or trust ensures your assets transfer smoothly.
Life insurance adds another layer of protection.
Naming beneficiaries on accounts avoids legal headaches.
It’s not about being morbid. It’s about being responsible.
This is how you guarantee your family actually benefits from everything you built.
👉 Here's How You'll Do It: Use an affordable online service like Trust & Will to create a basic will and designate beneficiaries on all your accounts today.
📌 SAVE IT FOR LATER! 📌
And that’s it!
Never forget it…
🍔 A Fatter Bank Account Is Waiting For You!
😉 Dale!
