I don’t know what y’all are drinking these days, but you’re dropping off some mighty fine nuggets around this blog lately! And I’m loving it! I think you need to merge together and come up with your own financial blog or something, haha…
But for now, you sit there and read this gem my new friend Mark posted and you enjoy it :) He was kind enough to share his financial journey with us on last week’s book giveaway post (the 2nd one is still open btw!), and it was a nice refresher of how this money stuff all comes together. Check it out:
“I’m a millionaire. Been investing in mutual funds for 40 years. Never made more then $70,000. Paid cash for everything. Still have an allowance of $100.00 a week. That is for gas and if I want something new. I’ve been debt free for 15 years. I often sit back and ask how I did this, and then remember my mom who at 16 worked in the ship yards during WW2, never graduated from HS, but gave me a book called Your Last Dollar. I still live off of $40,000 a year and no longer work, outside of a part time job as a coach as I love high school kids.”
Look at that! An average guy making average money with not-so-average results. And people say it’s hard to become a millionaire, pssh…. you just need a simple plan and some time ;)
Let’s go over all 11 tips he dropped in this jam-packed paragraph – did you catch them?
#1) Invest for the long haul! Not for two or three or even ten years, but for decades. Mark did this successfully for over 40 years (longer than most of us have been alive- hah!) and he kept going through all the booms and busts and utter nonsense. You need this long term mentality so you don’t trick yourself into chasing the quick wins and get off track. It’s all about harnessing time!
#2) Funds get the job done. Yes you can try your hand at stocks and get your research/luck on and pray you hit the jackpot, but let’s face it – not even “professionals” get it right. For most people, sticking with mutual funds (or my personal preference – index funds – since the costs are much cheaper) are a safer bet. You won’t “beat the market” and have bragging rights amongst your friends, but matching it is better than underperforming it. And it’s one area I don’t mind being average.
#3) It doesn’t matter how much you make – you can still save! While $70,000 is surely a lot of money for most of us/the world, keep in mind it’s not the case when you’re nearing retirement. And even so, it probably took Mark 10-20 years to make it up to that level, so for decades he was making substantially less. Regardless, putting money aside every paycheck no matter how much you make WILL add up over time and especially over 40 years. Do the best you can with what you’ve got, and then up it every time you get a bonus or raise or any other types of promotions. Mark is proof that any of us can become millionaires over time.
#4) Pay cash for everything. Imagine never going into debt again? How much time, money, stress that would save? Using cash is surely one way to ensure that. You may not reap as many c/c rewards that way (and in full transparency – I’m a credit card budgeter myself! Where I put everything I can on cards and then pay them off in full each month!), but for the general public cash is the safest way to go. And plus, the research always shows that you spend less using cash than plastic anyways.
#5) Give yourself a weekly allowance. This is one of my all-time favorite budgeting tips. Not only do you give yourself some fun BLOW MONEY to do as you please, but you also free yourself from having to track every last penny and burn yourself out. Another nice side effect is tricking all your friends that you’re a “normal” person just like them, when deep down you’re as financially nerdy as it gets ;)
#6) Become totally debt free. He didn’t outright say, but I’m assuming that “being debt free for 15 years” means Mark doesn’t have any mortgages either. Which of course can never steer you wrong, whether you could make more money investing or not. I only know one person who regrets paying off their house, and I shake my head every time I’m reminded…
#7) Appreciate how fortunate we are to live in today’s world! Where we reap the benefits of those who fought and died before us, and which the life expectancy is much higher than it’s ever been before. Not to mention how 9/10ths of our problems really are 1st world issues, and that we can live off a lot less and still – shockingly enough – be just as happy.
#8) Read about money. You’re obviously already doing this or else you’re on the wrong site right now – hah! – but books and blogs can REALLY make an impact with how you think and act with your money. Especially when you find the ones that click. (Shameless plug – check out our list of favorite blogs here, as well as my favorite money books!). I tried to find this book that Mark’s mom gave him so I could check it out (I’d never heard of it before?) but didn’t have much luck. Although there is a “Your Last Dollar and How to Keep it” by Edgar T. Isaacs and Richard S. Lindner from 1976 which could possibly be it. If you want to take a gamble, it’s currently a whopping $3.40 right now on Amazon :)
#9) Live off the same amount of money as time goes on! You know when you get a raise or new job and all of a sudden you’re earning more money than you ever have in your entire life? And so you go out and buy new stuff and are now all of a sudden spending the same amount of money as you’re earning? That’s called lifestyle inflation and it’s one tricky bastard. Catch it early on and get used to spending roughly the same every month and your pile of cash to save/invest drastically goes up over time. You don’t have to save every last penny of it of course (you still want to live a little, yeah?), but getting into this habit now will help you reach financial freedom a lot sooner – I can promise you that. Because remember: the less you need to live on, the less you need to retire!
#10) Do stuff you love for money. Even though Mark has enough money to live off right now, he still does stuff he enjoys that also happens to pay. Imagine if everything you worked on brought you joy like that? It’s a great position to be in, and there’s nothing saying you have to stop earning once you give up your 9-5. Figure out what you’re good at and enjoy, and then see if there’s any cross pollination you can land on and start working it on the side. Many of the side hustles we share here were born out of specific interests that turned out to be pretty profitable – the perfect combination :)
And lastly, #11) The boring stuff works. You’ll notice there wasn’t anything new or sexy going on with our friend’s plan here at all. He just kept his expenses in check, funneled away as much as he could over the years, and then let the magic that is compounding do the rest. It’s not always easy, but it’s do-able! And I reckon Mark would say that any of you could become a millionaire too by copying.
See ya back here on Friday, you smarty pants…
******
PS: Do you like how I assume that dude up top (not Mark) is a millionaire just because he dresses like a baller and seems to be living the good life? Personal finance #FAIL right there, haha…
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I still prefer to use cash instead of credit card. That’s why I decided not to apply for a credit card, for me, I can control my expenses if I use cash
This is great J – I especially like tip #5. We give ourselves a weekly cash allowance of $20 that is our “blow money” and it works. Once in awhile we’ll slip up and use the debit or credit card, but for the most part it keeps our spending in check. I tried searching for the book he mentioned and couldn’t find it either. Maybe The Millionaire Next Door is a modern version??
Yeah, Millionaire Next Door is one of my all-time faves. Highly recommend for sure!
I love the idea of an allowance. I’ve put myself on a $100-$150/month allowance in the past. My husband finds it too restrictive (though I’m not sure why – he doesn’t actually spend all that much. I think its just the idea that he shouldn’t/can’t spend money when he wants); I’m still trying to convince him to get on board with me – especially while we’re in debt-reduction mode.
Guys are funny like that sometimes :) Promise him a pack of beer or night out with the boys if he gives it another shot, haha…
I am in the same predicament. My husband is not willing to come on board he feels he is being restricted. Next week my church I offering Dave Ramsey financial freedom class and I signed up. In the hope that he gets it. The class cost $150 it hurts me because I am familiar with Dave Ramsey and and we don’t have debt but sident loan but I see it as an investment in my husband financial literacy.
I hope it helps!! Ramsey has known to convince others pretty well :) If not, tell him to come read a site about $$ with “sexy” in the title and see if that changes – hah!
The allowance part usually helps too, even if it’s a higher than you’d like allowance. The idea we can do whatever we want with our $$ is pretty liberating even if it’s inside of a budget (and at least gets the foundation started)
I think long term planning is extremely sexy! You found yourself a smart new friend J money! I definitely like the tip #5. We are quite strict with our budget but we have around 40 dollars of blow money each every month. We don’t ask each other where this money goes and it is nice to know that I can go grab a cup of coffee with a friend without really thinking about what kind of effect it has on our budget.
Great story and principles to take from it. I really wish Mark or someone like him could speak to every class of high school seniors. These are the financial principles they need to learn from someone who has made it work over time. Instead kids are being encouraged to take on tons of school debt (and sometimes consumer debt) that they haven’t thought about how to pay off.
P.S. The line about an allowance tricking your friends into thinking your normal made me laugh!
Yeah, mentioning the word “millionaire” or “do whatever you want for the rest of your life” is enough to get any kid’s attention, haha.. You have to start there vs “here’s how to manage your money.. zzz…..”
Boring always works, but it won’t sell extra copies of magazines… which is why the big publications don’t write about it. :)
You just gotta throw “millionaire” in the title! Worked to get you here ;)
I love #9 (living off the same amount of money as time goes on). I feel really fortunate to have become more financially conscious right now, while I’m still in grad school and am living off of a paltry grad student stipend. I’m going to be graduating in December and, fingers crossed, will find a higher-paying job after that, but I’m committing now to continue to live as though I’m on the grad student stipend, and use the rest of my paycheck to save, invest, and pay off my student loans as quickly as possible.
SO CLOSE!!!! You’re almost there!
You can tell the guy up top is a millionaire because he has a baller job on Wall Street (or perhaps as a recording exec), and he still brews coffee at home :)
Those are great tips- got to keep it basic.
Oooooh good picking up on that mug vs paper cup!
There’s so much power in simplicity. While the tips don’t seem earth-shattering, the dedication and resolve that he displayed to stay the course are. There is a certain stick-with-it-ness and grit that certain people cultivate really well, and he seems to have done exactly that.
As I sit at my desk an hour and half before students arrive for the day, it makes me so happy to hear he’s still coaching :)
Wonderful principles that you talked about here J. I have to disagree with #4 that we should pay cash for everything. The best thing we can do is take advantage of financing to allow our money to compound faster, as long as we have cash in the bank to pay those items off. I always finance things, but it is methodical. I love debt and it is one of the major pillars I love to use to my advantage rather than spending cash all the time. There is a downside to debt if it is abused or used on things we should not be buying.
I agree there’s power in leveraging debt and using c/cs too. Just not for the average person who sucks with $$$.
I love hearing people’s success stories!! Especially on lower/average incomes! I also love that he’s coaching high school students – turning something he loves into a little side income. Great story!
Such a great story! I really struggle with living on the same amount of money year-to-year, and have definitely suffered from lifestyle inflation over the last few years. Maybe I should try the weekly allowance technique to feel like I still have freedom to spend without going crazy.
Love these tips and pretty much live by most of them. I only wish I had started investing more, sooner in life. I managed to save some in IRAs, but they sure haven’t grown that much.
We’re mostly cash, although we do put recurring items on the credit card. There’s an interesting article on Done by Forty about how people who pay off their balances each month spend *even more* than people who carry a balance: http://www.donebyforty.com/2013/10/do-credit-cards-actually-increase.html
Oh man – I believe it! The cost of convenience, eh?
I really like the allowance concept, so that you can still treat yourself without going crazy. I also like the call to not subject yourself to lifestyle inflation. It’s so very hard to resist, but the payoffs are terrific. Mark’s story is very inspiring. Great post, J.
Loved the story of just a normal person working, saving and making it big! We all have different stories of life experiences with money and love. Sometimes you think your heading in a direction but someone puts a bump in the road and it takes time to get back on track. I am so glad that young people today are talking about money…making it, paying bills, goals…nothing worst than a partner that doesn’t have the same goals.
J. You didn’t menition them in your list of things to learn from Mark’s post but other important tips that I noticed that he is obviously following is to TRACK YOUR NET WORTH and to ACTIVELY WORK TOWARDS A GOAL. We can tell that he has been tracking his net worth and keeping an eye on it for years. This is one of those areas that I feel like you can’t overstress because you can’t know how far you have to go if you don’t know where you are. And being able to see how far you have come can provide remarkable motivation to continue the journey.
Agreed 100%. Tracking your net worth is one of the best things you can do for your wealth. Not only to know *where you stand* at all times, but to keep motivating you as the months pass! And the beautiful thing is that it works whether you’re paying off debts or saving money!
We are in our early 50’s and have been debt-free for quite a few years now. We have always lived within our means, even though our income is rather low. We have been blessed in many ways, and we are frugal, but have never invested in anything other than a couple of CDs back in the day. Earlier this year, we were given a monetary gift (sort of an early inheritance from a relative) and decided to follow all the advice we read and invest it.in a mutual fund. We researched, and eventually went to a Dave-Ramsey-endorsed financial counselor. He invested it earlier this year, and it has now lost about 20% of the total. Needless to say, that is pretty hard to take! You mention above having a ‘long term mentality” and riding out the booms and busts, but is this really okay? It feels SO wrong to just let our windfall dribble off into nothingness! Did all investments do this this year, or are we being taken for a ride?
YOU ARE NOT ALONE!!! We’ve all lost money in the market this year, and especially over the past two months. Hell, I lost $40,000! So it’s probably not your guy or your investments (though how much you risk is of course always at play). Please do keep in mind it’s all for the long haul and none of this “counts” until you go to pull it out. You just happened to get in at a wonky time. It’ll go back up, don’t worry :)
The markets indeed have been rough this year. That being said, I’d take a look at what you’re actually invested in to make sure it’s a decent investment. Make sure it’s one of the following:
A total stock market index fund (or as close as possible)
An S&P500 index fund
OR
something like a “LifeCycle Fund” which is basically a fund of funds that shifts from less stocks to more bonds as you age. This is most likely what you’re invested in I’m guessing, considering your age.
If you’re invested in either of the index funds first mentioned, you probably have a bond fund as well to “balance out” the volatility.
Lastly, I’d make sure that the expense ratios on every fund that you’re invested are decent. Anything under 1% is alright. Anything over that, and you should be concerned. Vanguard is basically the gold standard when it comes to expense ratios, but like I said, anything under 1% is alright.
If most, or all of these are true for you, I wouldn’t worry about it. Just keep adding money at regular intervals and you’ll ride out the worst of financial storms. ;-)
“The Boring Stuff Works.” That’s really the key to everything, right? People want to be millionaires, but they want to figure out how to do that without doing the boring stuff like saving money. People want to lose weight, but they sure don’t want to eat right or exercise. Stop trying to be flashy! The boring stuff works!
I have a hundred dollar a week allowance too! It’s been working pretty well for me, I’m definitely spending a lot less than when I took out 20 or 40 bucks at a time, and used my credit card when I ran out of cash. It’s easier to meet your goals with solid understanding of your finances and goals to work towards. I’m on my way to being debt free and it’s going to be so good when I get there!
All fantastic tips –
I don’t tend to use cash – mainly because I have such great cash rewards on my credit card! I give myself a monthly allowance rather than weekly – just works better for me…any money left over from the monthly allowance goes straight into my investment account!
Not 100% debt free, but moving in the right direction!!!
Love it! Almost as much as your blog name :)
It’s kinda mind blowing when you truly understand the miracle of compounding.
And when I say that, I mean really understanding the math and how it works. It’s life changing when you grasp it fully.
Great tips, becoming rich is a boring process. :D
Have a set amount of fun blowing money is good so you don’t end up deprive yourself from all the fun you could potentially have.
Love this! So many people believe that they don’t make enough money to save and that’s why i think #3 is so important. You CAN save!
Thanks for sharing this, it is awesome. I also agree with having an allowance. My wife and I take a $60 per week allowance and spend it any way we like. I usually blow mine on golf or fishing and she blows hers on clothes, but it’s great not having to justify it!
Yeah it is :)
Totally agree with long-term planning and investing! I also give myself an allowance every month. I don’t always pay with cash.. I have to admit I use my credit card, but I ALWAYS pay everything before the end of the month. I make sure to look at my credit card balance every 2 weeks or so, just to make sure I am not overspending. It’s all about self control.
That’s an inspiring story! It seems like the single most important thing that separates people like this gentleman from the other 99% of people is long term self-discipline.
One of these days, if I ever become financially independent, I’ll be able to give my own “advice” on how to be a wealthy fellow. Until then, all I can say is that having kids, (a six year old and an 18 month old), in your late fifties certainly puts a damper on any aspirations of monetary wealth.
Which brings up another point: living frugally, (below your means), and budgeting is GREAT on its own sake for so many, many reasons, whether or not you ever become heavily endowed with cash. So what if you don’t wind up with more money than Donald Trump or Warren Buffet? I wouldn’t trade my two kids for all the money in the world!
P.S. – Ronda, hang in there! I’m still kicking myself for not investing like a madman back in 2008/2009 when stocks were on clearance sale.
Oh yeah… I’m pretty sure I’d be a hundred or two thousand ahead myself had we not produced our little boogers :) That’s why they make them so cute! So we hardly notice they’re destroying our wallets! Haha….
I’m working on #6. Once that happens I will be able to start actively investing a lot more than I am now.
Great advice! Easy and boring definitely gets the job done!
After tracking my expenses for an year and seeing how much I lose as various bank fees/commissions, I decided to give up my personal debit card. I keep a business account (which is mandatory) and that’s it. Few hundred bucks that are left in my wallet, not in the bank’s pockets
Good for you for making the change, and tracking all your $$ for that matter! 1 year is great and I’m sure you learned a lot more about your $$/lifestyle than just the fees. Well done :)
“Another nice side effect is tricking all your friends that you’re a “normal” person just like them, when deep down you’re as financially nerdy as it gets” – I didn’t realize that anyone else thought this too!
Gotta lay on the low every now and then ;)
Nubmer four and five are great! We use a credit card payment system – but think of it in a cash mentality. The credit card is paid off each month and we budget our spending on a weekly basis. Once we have spent our monthly allowance, we are done. We’re hoping this will all be worth it when we are free of our (now less than) $350K in debt! One day at a time… Thanks for the tips!
That’s all you can do – one day at a time :)
I love reading about the boring guys. The ones that said screw debt, hated credit cards, and made just a regular guy salary. Makes me think there is hope for me yet.
Good piece of info J. IT is all very true that we all need to have a long term mentality of saving and investing. I like the fact that he still works part time, and is a millionaire. Once I reach that status hopefully a year after J money reaches it. I will pass my time, managing investment properties, and working part time as well.
This is one of the better lists that I’ve read lately. I really like the allowance idea and the one about doing stuff you love for money. Those hit home. I could never be one of the overly frugal people. I feel like it’s a diet sometimes where if you don’t give yourself a cheat meal, then you’re going to drive yourself crazy and eventually end up worse off than when you started. Let yourself have a little fun! that’s what it’s all about anyway. Just not TOO much fun haha.
-DP
Hah! Cheat Meal – I like it.
Thanks for sharing J. and Mark. What I heard in Mark’s story, as well as lived in my own family, is that having a plan and avoiding “lifestyle inflation” are the keys. Have a great weekend!
-Bryan
Awesome tips and story!
I would make an edit on:
1/10th of our problems really are 1st world issues
Surely that should be 9/10ths?! :)
Haha oops… good catch :)
‘Read about money’ – great advice and I currently practice this :D Thanks a lot for all tips ;)
Useful tips. I like to keep a cap on my monthly expenses as well.
Thanks for this article. I found it quite encouraging. Tbh, I invest in mutual funds as well, as I don’t feel capable to manage my own portfolio. I guess I’m too trigger happy and would let my emotions control me too much.
What’s your opinion about mutual funds?
Cheers
MrRicket
I think they’re much better for sure than trying to blindly pick stocks :) But due to their management fees I’m much more of an index guy. You still get the variety you need for your portfolio but with (WAY) lower fees.
What awesome advice! I too had credit cards with balances on them many years ago and when I became debt free I got rid of them all. Till this day I don’t have or use a credit card for the simple fact that I am not sure if I could control myself to not use them to the point of getting out of control again. Cash has been working just fine for us right now and my new motto is if I don’t have the cash to buy something then I really don’t need it. Old school boring money advice does work and has worked very well for us these past few years.
Great info J Money
Hell yeah it does, sir!
Good for you for sticking to your guns too – I’m sure it’s not easy when everyone around you is rocking like 15 of them ;)
Inspiring to read this sort of stuff and to see reinforced once again: financial success is not rocket science! It’s achievable for just about anybody willing to control spending, save diligently, and take advantage of the wonders of compounding. Or you can count on winning the lottery. :-)
Being a debt free person is the way to becoming a millionaire. You don’t have to worry paying someone and all you need to do is save for your future.
Thank you for sharing this! I sure hope to start saving soon, but paying off my debt is number one. Boy is it hard though. My wife and I are both working full time to try and pay off over $200,000 in debt. We eventually want to move out of our apartment, filled with mice and mold, into a healthy environment where we can work to save money, buy a house, and start our family. It’s a process though, a journey, and we’re in it for the long haul. Thank you for the tips!
Mice and mold??? Ick! I’m sorry to hear that, jeez…. Def. just a phase for sure, but I’m betting those mice are amping up your hustle even more! :) One day all those debt payments will be SAVINGS payments – woo!
There is another technique to improve your finance. You should surround yourself with intelligent and financially savvy people…
http://kehmresearch.com/2016/03/17/face-knowledge-vs-deep-understanding/
Doing that will change your behavior. Who you surround yourself with has a massive impact on your financial behavior and other areas in life.
#Truth
Loved it.
Just combine #2, #3 and #11. sit back and watch the magic (of compounding) happen.
You can do the math.
It’s Simple (not really. but doable)
Pay $ gUaP $ and don’t use your debit or credit card at gas pumps nor in stores where you’re unfamiliar with the terminals. I just got hit on my credit card last month for $165 and change. The person who allegedly skimmed my credit card # went online and bought a Tommy Hilfiger winter coat from Macys online in Hicksville, New York. Then had the nerve to use a $10 off coupon to bring the cost down to $155 and some cents. Now, my mom just got hit 2 days ago for online charges made in Tennessee for $200 and change on the 1st transaction. Then $130 and some cents on a 2nd transaction. Both made online in the same day. Pay that $ gUaP $ at stores. And if you do shop online, use Norton financial protection and be sure that your card is covered by $0 fraud liability! :-)
Ouch! Sorry to hear, man!
It’s all good brother. She got her $ gUaP $ back. :-)