10 Money Rules Every Man Should Live By

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1. Pay Yourself First Every Month

You know what’s funny? Most people pay everyone else before they ever pay themselves.

The rent gets paid, the bills get paid, the subscriptions renew, and suddenly there’s nothing left for savings.

If that sounds familiar, welcome to the club of “accidental broke people.”

When you pay yourself first, you flip the script. Your money finally starts working for you, not the other way around.

Set it, forget it, and let your future self give you a big high five later.

👉 Here's How You'll Do It: Set up automatic transfers to your savings account right after payday using an app like Rocket Money or your bank’s auto-transfer feature.

📌 SAVE IT FOR LATER! 📌


2. Keep Your Spending in Check

Ever check your bank account and feel personally attacked? Yeah, that’s called “spending without tracking.”

You swipe, tap, and order delivery like life’s a buffet. Then wonder where the money went.

It’s not about being cheap; it’s about knowing where your money hides.

When you track your spending, you see your bad habits in high definition (and trust me, that clarity stings, but in a good way).

Once you spot the leaks, you can plug them and finally start keeping more of what you earn.

👉 Here's How You'll Do It: Download a budgeting app like Rocket Money and categorize every expense for one week. It’ll shock you into control.

3. Build a Small Safety Net for Emergencies

Life loves surprises, and not the fun kind. The “your car battery just died” kind.

If you’ve ever had to borrow money from friends or max out a card for an emergency, you already know the pain.

That’s why even a small safety net. Like $500 to start. It can save you from a world of stress.

You’ll sleep better, breathe easier, and stop panicking every time your phone buzzes with a bank alert.

Your emergency fund isn’t a luxury; it’s your peace of mind on standby.

👉 Here's How You'll Do It: Open a high-yield savings account (like the one on Betterment) and set a recurring transfer of $20–$50 per week.

Bonus Tip: Make Your Money Grow While You Sleep

You know how building that small safety net gives you peace of mind?

Well, once you’ve got that foundation, it’s time to make your money start pulling its own weight.

That’s where automation meets investing. You set it up once, and your cash quietly multiplies while you binge-watch Netflix or crash after work.

The easiest way to do this (without overthinking or pretending you’re a Wall Street genius) is by using a platform like Betterment, which automatically invests and rebalances your money for you.

Thousands of people use it because it takes all the guesswork out of investing. And honestly, the calm you feel watching your balance grow without lifting a finger? Chef’s kiss.

👉 Here's How You'll Do It: Open a Betterment account, set a small recurring deposit. Even $20 a week. And let it invest automatically while you focus on living your life.

4. Invest Early, Even If You’re Broke

You might think investing is only for rich people, but that’s exactly why most people never get rich.

You don’t need thousands. You just need to start.

The magic of compound interest doesn’t care if you’re investing $5 or $500. It only cares about time.

So the earlier you start, the less you’ll have to stress later when your money starts multiplying like bunnies.

Even small, consistent investments beat waiting until “someday”. Because spoiler: someday never comes.

👉 Here's How You'll Do It: Use an investing platform like Betterment to automate weekly micro-investments, even if it’s just $10.

5. Automate Your Finances So You Don’t Have to Think

You know what’s exhausting? Trying to remember to pay every bill, save money, and invest manually.

That’s a recipe for late fees, stress, and accidental overspending.

Automation turns chaos into order. Your bills get paid, your savings grow, and your investments stack without lifting a finger.

Think of it like putting your money on autopilot. Because honestly, you’ve got better things to do.

And when you see your accounts growing quietly in the background, it’s the best kind of “lazy win.”

👉 Here's How You'll Do It: Automate everything. Savings, bills, and investments. Through your bank or tools like Rocket Money and Betterment, to make sure it’s done every month without thinking.

6. Live Below Your Means

You don’t have to live like a monk, but you also don’t need a new car every time you get a raise.

Living below your means is about freedom. Not punishment.

When you spend less than you earn, you start stacking cash instead of stress.

That’s when life gets fun, because now you call the shots instead of your bills.

And trust me, nothing feels better than knowing you could walk away from a bad job and still be fine.

👉 Here's How You'll Do It: Set a realistic spending cap for the month using your bank’s budget tracker or Rocket Money and make “extra” money off-limits for spending.

📌 SAVE IT FOR LATER! 📌


7. Stop Trying to Impress People With Your Wallet

Everyone knows someone broke but somehow always posts from fancy restaurants.

Newsflash: nobody’s impressed. They’re just confused about how you’re affording it.

When you buy things to look rich, you usually end up broke trying to keep the illusion alive.

The real flex isn’t a flashy car or designer shoes. It’s having money when others don’t.

You’ll thank yourself later when your savings look better than someone’s Gucci belt.

👉 Here's How You'll Do It: Next time you’re tempted to show off, transfer that money to your savings account or investment app like Betterment instead. That’s the real upgrade.

8. Avoid Debt Whenever Possible

Debt looks innocent. Until it turns into a monster that eats your paycheck every month.

Credit cards, car loans, and buy-now-pay-later apps are all traps wrapped in convenience.

Sure, it feels great swiping today, but future-you won’t be laughing when the bill hits.

If you must use credit, use it smartly and pay it off before interest starts nibbling at your hard-earned cash.

Freedom tastes a lot better when you don’t owe anyone a dime.

👉 Here's How You'll Do It: Use a free payoff calculator on sites like NerdWallet or Ramsey Solutions to plan your debt-free timeline. Then avoid new debt like it’s your ex.

9. Invest in Skills That Make You More Valuable

You can’t save your way to wealth if your income never grows.

That’s why investing in yourself pays the highest return. No stock market required.

Learn new skills, get certifications, or start a side hustle that boosts your earning power.

Every new skill you add is like giving yourself a raise without begging your boss.

You become your own asset. And that’s the kind that never loses value.

👉 Here's How You'll Do It: Take a free online course on Coursera or Udemy, or use LinkedIn Learning to level up a skill that could get you promoted or start a side business.

10. Think Long-Term (Because Fast Money Disappears Fast)

You’ve seen it. People are chasing “quick cash” schemes that vanish faster than they appear.

Building wealth isn’t about luck; it’s about patience, consistency, and staying in the game.

You don’t need to get rich overnight. You just need to keep growing month after month.

The truth? Long-term thinkers always win because time multiplies their money while others chase shortcuts.

You’ll never regret playing the long game. It’s how financial freedom is actually built.

👉 Here's How You'll Do It: Set long-term financial goals in a note app or planner, automate your investments with Betterment, and remind yourself that slow progress beats no progress every time.

📌 SAVE IT FOR LATER! 📌


And that’s it!

Never forget it… 

🍔 A Bigger Bank Account Is Waiting For You!

😉 Dale!

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Claudio Garcia

Hi! I’m the founder of Money Vice and a passionate personal finance enthusiast. I started this site to help people across America save more with the least difficulty, get rid of debt, and to start putting their money to work (in the easiest way possible).