The majority of people place becoming wealthy quite high on their list of financial ambitions and objectives. After all, it will give you more options in addition to greater financial stability. Naturally, you would be able to spend more money on the items you want.
However, the issue with the idea of becoming “wealthy” is that it requires a lot of time and effort. Get-rich-quick schemes are typically nothing more than a ruse to take advantage of people who are having financial difficulties. You will probably need to work hard and be diligent with your money if you weren’t born into a wealthy family or received a sizable inheritance.
Avoid (and Pay Down) Debt
While debt is not always a bad thing, it is generally something that should be avoided. For instance, student loans may be advantageous if they support your pursuit of a successful career and the principle and interest rate are reasonable.
Robert Johnson, chairman and CEO of Economic Index Associates, disagreed with several experts who claimed that student loans were bad debt. “Modest student loan debt is what I would consider being “good debt.” Student loans, in my opinion, receive a poor rap. Once more, how you use them is key. If the odds aren’t in your favour, student debt can undoubtedly be unpleasant.
“There is no doubt that the system has been abused and that some students have accumulated a mountain of debt and have earned degrees that simply won’t provide the earning power to pay that debt back,” Johnson said. Johnson also emphasized that credit card debt is always bad debt and should be prioritized over student loans. Ariel Acuña, the founder of independent wealth management firm LTG Capital LLC, recommended putting at least 20% of your paycheck toward debt if you have it.
Spend Intentionally and Minimize Costs
It’s crucial to cut costs and spend with greater intention if you want to become wealthy. This is the second step even though it ought to be the first one you complete. You must adhere to a budget if you want to spend wisely and cut costs. You can do this to keep track of your spending and where it is going.
Acua suggests creating a budget checklist. Create a prioritised list of the things you’ll buy with your income when you get it. This includes setting aside funds for emergencies, savings, entertainment, and other purposes. Your goal should be to minimize costs as much as possible so you can put that money toward building wealth. Jeff Burrow, president and lead advisor at Sierra Ocean, said you should “ravenously find ways to limit your lifestyle costs and save 25% of your income.”
Invest as Much as Possible in a Diversified Portfolio
Although there are restrictions on how much you can contribute to an IRA or 401(k), those restrictions are so high that many people are unable to meet them. If you decide to invest more, you can always do so in a taxable brokerage account. There is no upper limit to the amount of investment you should make if you want to become wealthy. There are numerous alternative investment techniques, but the majority of financial professionals advise investing primarily in stocks.
Some advocate owning less real estate or even making speculative investments. Burrow suggests a portfolio made up of 65% stocks, 25% real estate, and 10% of your preferred speculative asset. You will want to invest that money in a tax-advantaged account such as a 401(k) or IRA first. That will help you minimize your tax bill and thus increase your returns over time. If you manage to max out all tax-advantaged accounts, you can move to a brokerage account.
Work On Your Career
There is no substitute for higher income. As they say, there is only so much you can cut in terms of expenses, but there is no limit to how much your income can increase, at least in theory. “Ensure that as you advance in your career/business/main occupation, you always save more than you spend as you earn raises and increase your gross income,” Burrow said.
“Lifestyle cost creep will absolutely wreck a plan to get rich as quickly as possible.”Of course, increasing your income will be contingent upon the job you have. Those working hourly jobs, for example, may have minimal leverage to increase their income. But if it is possible for you to move up the corporate ladder, that can be a powerful way to become rich as you will be able to save and invest more.
Find Extra Work
The concept of side business is nothing new, but if you have some free time and are willing to work a few extra hours per week, it can be a great way to boost your income. Finding flexible work is simple thanks to the gig economy and companies like Uber and TaskRabbit. Additionally, lists of different kinds of side businesses can be found online in abundance.
Finding a side job can be harder said than done, but it can provide you with extra cash that you can use to make more investments. “Start looking for two to three side jobs that will increase your take-home pay right away. Burrow advised saving as much of that as possible.