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Do you really want to become a millionaire? Who doesn’t? The problem is we think it isn’t possible. We see our bank account with a few hundred bucks in it and think growing it to a million or more is pointless.
The good news is that anyone, yes anyone can become a millionaire. And before you think it take decades or a ton of sacrificing and hard work, think again. I’ve come up with 10 painless ways you can become a millionaire.
If you follow these tips, you will be on your way to being worth seven figures faster than you thought possible. So what are these 10 painless ways?
Let’s get started!
Table of Contents
10 Painless Ways To Become A Millionaire
#1. Never Spend More Than You’re Making
This is the most basic tip of all. You cannot go into debt. You have to learn to live on what you earn. For some reading this, it might be a little tough at first. You are used to a certain lifestyle and not buying some things will sting.
But it is only short lived. You will quickly realize that many of the things you were going into debt for, hoping to bring you happiness, really didn’t help bring happiness. Instead they saddled you with more debt and more unhappiness.
By learning to live within your means, you will grow your wealth and realize the things that are important to you and what truly brings you happiness.
#2. Always Save Some Of What You’re Making
The next tip is that you have to save something every single month. I don’t care if it is $5 or $500. Something is better than nothing. So look over your monthly bills and figure out how much you can afford to save each month.
Once you have this number, you need to automatically transfer the money to a savings account so you ensure you actually save.
After a few months pass and you are saving money, go back in and increase the amount by a few more dollars. Do this every so often so that you are saving more and more money.
#3. Pay Off Your Debt
If you want to become a millionaire, you are going to have to pay off your debt. You will never get rich by paying someone else all of your money.
If you are in debt, make it a point to pay it off as quickly as possible. Even if the interest rate is low, you should still work hard to get out of debt.
Think about it like this. When you are in credit card debt and you go to work, you are really going to work for your credit card company. The money you are earning is going to them so you can pay off your debt.
When you don’t have debt, you are working for yourself. And every dollar you earn can be worth more because you can save and invest it and it grows larger.
So pay off your debt as quickly as you can. Just be sure you are saving something even when paying off your debt.
#4. Pay Less For Your Living Arrangements
If you rent, get as many ‘goodies’ included as possible. Think utilities, garbage pickup, free cable and so on. The more of these extra services you can avoid having to pay for, the more money you can potentially save.
In addition to this, get a roommate, and share. When you can split everything in half, you will be able to really save a ton of money every month.
Finally don’t buy a house until you can get it cheaper. In other words, don’t pay so much for a house that you are struggling financially every month. Or, you can even live overseas where it is much more affordable to live.
#5. Buy A Smaller House Than The Mortgage Company Says You Can ‘Afford’
Real estate, provided you’re willing to keep your purchase modest, can be an excellent way to invest that extra money. As you pay off your mortgage, your equity grows. Over time, the value of your houses rises.
Now before you get excited and think about double digit gains every year like was the norm in the early 2000’s, this isn’t reality. The reality is that homes appreciate in value by around 3% a year. Not great, but better than nothing.
And to show you how much this matters over the long run, look at the wealth of renters versus homeowners.
#6. Pay Less For Your Car
This may mean taking the bus, relying on only one vehicle or sharing transportation for months, until you find the right vehicle at the right money. Craigslist is a godsend.
Don’t think you need a new car every 4 years or even a new car at all. You can buy cars that are a few years old and save a ton of money. And with how reliable cars are today, you should be able to drive one for at least 10 years.
If you think that a 10 year old car will look like junk, just wash it on a regular basis and you will be amazed at well its appearance holds up.
#7. Work Hard
In order to get raises at work, you need to put in some extra effort. My favorite tip here is to find tasks your boss doesn’t get excited doing and offer to do them for her. They will thank you and you can work this into getting larger raises.
The key is to work smarter not harder. I don’t want you working 80 hours a week. Instead find ways to make process simpler that save the company money.
#8. Start Your Own Business
Probably the best way to millions is to start your own business. In fact, in The Millionaire Next Door, many of the millionaires are small business owners.
In order to start a business of your own, you need to figure out what you are passionate about and go from there. Don’t think you need to quit your job to start your business either. Start small and on the side. Once it grows into something that can support you, then you can quit your job.
In the meantime, reinvest any income back into the business and save some too. Do not pay yourself!
If you want to find other great personal finance books, check out my resources section.
#9. Get Comfortable With The Stock Market
You aren’t going to become a millionaire by saving your money in a savings account. You need to put your money to work for you so that it grows. This is done by investing in the stock market.
I know that it can be scary, but if you get your emotions under control and choose a diversified portfolio, you should so well. Assuming of course you stay invested for the long term.
How do you do this? For starters you can get yourself a basic education on the market. But to cheat, you can just invest with Betterment. They will do it all for you. All you have to do is tell them your goal and set up a monthly amount to invest. You can learn more here.
Just how much can you earn by investing your money? If the market averages 8% annually, you should be able to double your money every 9 years or so.
#10. Get Married To The Right Person
The Millionaire Next Door, as well as a number of other financial get-rich books, makes it clear. Two people can get more accomplished than one, especially if both are careful with their money, and committed to each other.
The key here is marrying the right person. This all comes down to having the same values as you. While a spender and a saver can live happily, there will always be some friction in the relationship when it comes to money.
And should you end up divorcing, you are cutting anything you saved in half and starting over again.
With that said, don’t just marry for money. Marry for love, but be aware of the money personality your partner has and if it really meshes with yours. You will be much happier and for much longer if they complement each other.
Final Thots
So there are the 10 key ways to become a millionaire. Don’t fall for the same excuse others do in thinking that it is impossible or too hard. If you want it, you can achieve. You just have to start taking some steps to get there.
By following these 10 keys, you will be well on your way to millions.
Nos. 7 and 10 were my favorites! I volunteered for every unpopular job at work and not only did it grow me tremendously to constantly step outside my comfort zone but it made me my boss’s go to guy. As he rose up in the ranks I was right behind him and that was a huge win in job satisfaction and in pay. And as far as marrying the right person that was even more important. My wife knew how to design our lives so we could live like kings for the cost of a peasant. I could have never lived so well for twice the spending if I was single. Plus the moral and spiritual and physical support of a lifetime mate is hard to overstate when life’s trials come at you. It indeed is painless to become a millionaire, in fact its a fun ride!