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10 Reasons You Aren't Rich

 
 
richdad
 
Reply Mon 13 Aug, 2007 10:44 pm
10 Reasons You Aren't Rich

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The reason why you aren't a millionaire (or on your way to becoming one) is really quite simple. You probably assume it's because you aren't earning enough money, but the truth is that for most people, whether or not you become a millionaire has very little to do with the amount of money you make. It's the way that you treat money in your daily life.

Here are 10 possible reasons you aren't a millionaire:

1. You Care What Your Neighbors Think: If you're competing against them and their material possessions, you're wasting your hard-earned money on toys to impress them instead of building your wealth.

2. You Aren't Patient: Until the era of credit cards, it was difficult to spend more than you had. That is not the case today. If you have credit card debt because you couldn't wait until you had enough money to purchase something in cash, you are making others wealthy while keeping yourself in debt.

3. You Have Bad Habits: Whether it's smoking, drinking, gambling or some other bad habit, the habit is using up a lot of money that could go toward building wealth. Most people don't realize that the cost of their bad habits extends far beyond the immediate cost. Take smoking, for example: It costs a lot more than the pack of cigarettes purchased. It also negatively affects your wealth in the form of higher insurance rates and decreased value of your home.

4. You Have No Goals: It's difficult to build wealth if you haven't taken the time to know what you want. If you haven't set wealth goals, you aren't likely to attain them. You need to do more than state, "I want to be a millionaire." You need to take the time to set saving and investing goals on a yearly basis and come up with a plan for how to achieve those goals.

5. You Haven't Prepared: Bad things happen to the best of people from time to time, and if you haven't prepared for such a thing to happen to you through insurance, any wealth that you might have built can be gone in an instant.

. You Try to Make a Quick Buck: For the vast majority of us, wealth doesn't come instantly. You may believe that people winning the lottery are a dime a dozen, but the truth is you're far more likely to get struck by lightning than win the lottery. This desire to get rich quickly likely extends into the way you invest, with similar results.

7. You Rely on Others to Take Care of Your Money: You believe that others have more knowledge about money matters, and you rely exclusively on their judgment when deciding where you should invest your money. Unfortunately, most people want to make money themselves, and this is their primary objective when they tell you how to invest your money. Listen to other people's advice to get new ideas, but in the end you should know enough to make your own investing decisions.

8. You Invest in Things You Don't Understand: Your hear that Bob has made a lot of money doing it, and you want to get in on the gravy train. If Bob really did make money, he did so because he understood how the investment worked. Throwing in your money because someone else has made money without fully understanding how the investment works will keep you from being wealthy.

9. You're Financially Afraid: You are so scared of risk that you keep all your money in a savings account that is actually losing money when inflation is put into the equation, yet you refuse to move it to a place where higher rates of return are possible because you're afraid that you will lose money.

10. You Ignore Your Finances: You take the attitude that if you make enough, the finances will take care of themselves. If you currently have debt, it will somehow resolve itself in the future. Unfortunately, it takes planning to become wealthy. It doesn't magically happen to the vast majority of people.



1000s of people worldwide are earning quiet fortunes, from their homes, even while they sleep. Are you next?

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dagmaraka
 
  1  
Reply Mon 13 Aug, 2007 10:47 pm
11. You aren't earning enough to become a millionnaire even if you saved every last penny of your income

12. You don't give a rat's ass that you don't become a millionaire.
0 Replies
 
Chai
 
  1  
Reply Tue 14 Aug, 2007 04:33 am
dagmaraka wrote:
11. You aren't earning enough to become a millionnaire even if you saved every last penny of your income

12. You don't give a rat's ass that you don't become a millionaire.


Re: #11 dag....you take what your earn and get it to earn for you. Earning $1,000,000 over a lifetime only involves making an average of $25,000 a year. Entirely doable for many, if not most people.

Re: #12....that's your perogative. However, if you don't give a rat's ass about any specific thing, odds are you won't get it.


Although there are points made in the spammy initial post that I find not particularly relevant, as they are simply ploys to get a person to go to the (removed) website...there are also some sound statements there.

I personally agree with

#1 - Not your neighbors per se, but other people in general. That's not saying you should'nt have neighborhood/community pride in taking care of where you live as far as upkeep, or spending some money for an overall appearance of dignity and being civilized. However, if you have this only so others will think you have money to spare, well, you've already gotten your dividends.

#2 - Patience. Such an ugly word to so many. Having to wait, not getting it NOW, because somehow, even though I done nothing to earn it, I'm ENTITLED. I agree there is too much credit card debt out there, much of which comes from this sense of entitlement. However, I will say that credit can be used wisely and to your advantage, however, many aren't patient enough to learn how.

#3...I'm not going to shake my finger at someone's "bad habits". I look at it more from the viewpoint that if you have bad spending habits today, it's going to do nothing but compound in the future.

#4 Goals..people don't always acheive every single one of their goals, and I don't think they should. If they did, their goals were too easy. However, it's obvious you're not going to accumulate wealth by happenstance. "Oh wow! Look what happened while I wasn't paying attention....$10,000 just appeared"

#10 see above.
0 Replies
 
material girl
 
  1  
Reply Tue 14 Aug, 2007 04:41 am
I am rich, just not with regards to money.
0 Replies
 
Coolwhip
 
  1  
Reply Tue 14 Aug, 2007 05:00 am
Ha! That's rich! Smile
0 Replies
 
shewolfnm
 
  1  
Reply Tue 14 Aug, 2007 05:45 am
You dont need money to be happy.
But you do need it to be stable.
0 Replies
 
happycat
 
  1  
Reply Tue 14 Aug, 2007 05:52 am
I know 2 reasons I'm not rich. They're 14 and 18 years old. :wink:
0 Replies
 
dyslexia
 
  1  
Reply Tue 14 Aug, 2007 05:55 am
I know 1 reason I am rich; I share my life with the lady Diane. (and the bills are paid)
0 Replies
 
Chai
 
  1  
Reply Tue 14 Aug, 2007 06:33 am
shewolfnm wrote:
You dont need money to be happy.
But you do need it to be stable.



Very true my friend.

However, if you are unstable with your finances, it's harder to be happy.

I'm not talking about necessarily being a "millionaire", which, in reality isn't uncommon at all. But being in a place where one could go out and do or acquire something without worry that it is going to distrupt your necessary expenses.

I believe a lot of people look at the idea of having some wealth as this totally unobtainable thing.

Some of these same people have goals like jumping from an airplane or running a marathon and believe they are totally attainable.

Sure, you might say, to a least some of these people wealth isn't important. I'm not so sure. The same person who is commited to running 20 plus miles feels that it is something they can make happen. However, they may feel, through messages they've received all their lives, that creating wealth is insurmountable hard. So, they figure "why even bother....I don't want that anyway....people with money suck" basically, sour grapes.
Frankly, for me personally, it would be a lot easier for me to obtain $10,000 than train for a marathon. Strike that...the amount could be a lot more.

What they base their perseption of "rich" people on are people who engage in conspicuous consumption, who may not have much in their bank account at all. They don't notice the "millionaire next door" that quietly and happily lives their lives, paying their bills, living within their means. Which, since they've gained wealth, is above what others up and down the street are doing.

Wealth does not equal bling and flash. It doesn't mean being able to instantly satisfy your material desires. It means being able to get the little day to day things, without worrying you don't even have 5 dollars to make it to the end of the week.

When I see someone young, like CoolWhip, I get really excited by them. People at this stage in life can get it straight in their heads that it's not an all or nothing thing, that it is totally within their reach to obtain a measure of financial security for the rest of their lives.

Happycat...please don't take this personally, but you've said something I've heard many times before. This isn't directed at you.

I can't obtain wealth because I have 2 children....because my job doesn't pay $100,000 a year, because I wet my bed when I was young....
0 Replies
 
JPB
 
  1  
Reply Tue 14 Aug, 2007 07:07 am
Chai wrote:
Although there are points made in the spammy initial post that I find not particularly relevant, as they are simply ploys to get a person to go to the (removed) website...there are also some sound statements there.

I personally agree with

#1 - Not your neighbors per se, but other people in general. That's not saying you should'nt have neighborhood/community pride in taking care of where you live as far as upkeep, or spending some money for an overall appearance of dignity and being civilized. However, if you have this only so others will think you have money to spare, well, you've already gotten your dividends.

#2 - Patience. Such an ugly word to so many. Having to wait, not getting it NOW, because somehow, even though I done nothing to earn it, I'm ENTITLED. I agree there is too much credit card debt out there, much of which comes from this sense of entitlement. However, I will say that credit can be used wisely and to your advantage, however, many aren't patient enough to learn how.

#3...I'm not going to shake my finger at someone's "bad habits". I look at it more from the viewpoint that if you have bad spending habits today, it's going to do nothing but compound in the future.

#4 Goals..people don't always acheive every single one of their goals, and I don't think they should. If they did, their goals were too easy. However, it's obvious you're not going to accumulate wealth by happenstance. "Oh wow! Look what happened while I wasn't paying attention....$10,000 just appeared"

#10 see above.


Yep, same list, chai, as well as #8, Investing in things you don't understand. People who understand stocks should stick with stocks, people who understand bonds should stick with bonds. And, whatever you do, stay away from Futures contracts unless you have a full understanding of how they work.
0 Replies
 
dagmaraka
 
  1  
Reply Tue 14 Aug, 2007 07:31 am
Sure, Chai. it is my prerogative and i don't claim it to be anybody else's. i really don't care for a lot of money. i have plenty to be stable, which is important as shewolf noted, and beyond that i cannot be bothered. Fortunately I can afford it that way and that's the way it suits me. I don't care to be a millionaire.
0 Replies
 
Chai
 
  1  
Reply Tue 14 Aug, 2007 08:38 am
totally agree with you dag.

you as an individual have given a good deal of thought to what is important and what is not in your life.

I'm speaking of people who make the assumption that they could never accumulate the means to live the way they truly want to, and never realize it is obtainable to create wealth.

I'm sure everyone has seen these charts and graphs, but I'm not sure how many people, especially young adults just starting out really absorb the impact of saving one dollar.

Taking a mere 50 CENTS of your hourly salary when you first start working and investing it in a Roth Ira and increasing that amount by only 25 CENTS an hour each year for 40 years will result in a retirement fund of over ONE MILLION, TWO HUNDRED AND FIFTY THOUSAND DOLLARS....and the money that million plus makes for you for the rest of your life...20, 30, 40 years, is all tax free.

For someone like, lets say Cool Whip who just got their first job, even if it's only $12 bucks an hour....I can imagine that he wouldn't be able to live just as well on $11.50.

And, if he gets that .50 cent an hour raise after a year, he'll be ok with taking an extra quarter out.



I do have a question for you dag...I heard you say this on another thread about "can't be bothered"

Seriously, what is the bother to have your employer take out a little money out of your check, or signing up for an IRA that automatically deducts money each month.

I'm not being facetious, I honestly don't understand why someone considers that a bother.

I don't want to know your finances at all, but I can see for some random person who always said "I can't be bothered" will one day be in for quite a shock.

Funny thing how we keep on living for decades past the time when we can earn sufficient income for our immediate needs.

again dag, not your particular situation, because I know you're smart enough to have something going on...but I think others imagine life stops at 60.
0 Replies
 
CalamityJane
 
  1  
Reply Tue 14 Aug, 2007 10:36 am
I actually agree with Chai!

Dagmar, especially when one is single and the financial obligations are
not as high as with a family (tuition, mortgage etc.) you should be able
to accumulate a nice safety package, just in case some rainy days might
be ahead.

I try to calculate the unexpected into my financial well being, and have
put funds aside for emergencies, in addition to retirement and college
fund for the little one. I couldn't sleep at night if I didn't have enough
funds to cover me for at least one year - in case something unforseen
should happen.
0 Replies
 
happycat
 
  1  
Reply Tue 14 Aug, 2007 12:09 pm
Chai - ummm....I was joking when I made that statement about my kids. Lighten up sweetie. My portfolio is just fine.
0 Replies
 
Mame
 
  1  
Reply Tue 14 Aug, 2007 12:28 pm
How about:

You spend all your money in renovations!
0 Replies
 
happycat
 
  1  
Reply Tue 14 Aug, 2007 12:43 pm
Mame wrote:
How about:

You spend all your money in renovations!



Oh, the renovations are for ME! FOR ME and if anyone messes up my new kitchen (whenever it's done) there'll be HELL TO PAY!! Twisted Evil

Very Happy
0 Replies
 
Chai
 
  1  
Reply Tue 14 Aug, 2007 12:50 pm
happycat wrote:
Chai - ummm....I was joking when I made that statement about my kids. Lighten up sweetie. My portfolio is just fine.


As I said, I wasn't directing this at you.

As you can tell by everything else I said, I'm encouraging people, especially young ones to look beyond this week and see that they can make an incredible financial impact on how they're later adulthood will be, by foregoing a miniscule amount today.

You and I both know there are many people who do use children, dogs who speak to them, the pull of the moon as reasons they cannot save 25 cents out of an hours pay.
0 Replies
 
Montana
 
  1  
Reply Tue 14 Aug, 2007 12:51 pm
Mame wrote:
How about:

You spend all your money in renovations!


That's what I do Laughing
0 Replies
 
Montana
 
  1  
Reply Tue 14 Aug, 2007 12:52 pm
And may I add that my renovations increases the value of my property Very Happy
0 Replies
 
Coolwhip
 
  1  
Reply Tue 14 Aug, 2007 02:09 pm
Chai wrote:


For someone like, lets say Cool Whip who just got their first job, even if it's only $12 bucks an hour...


I've heard that it's somewhat of an initiation to be the target of trash talking here on a2k... any truth to this rumor? Smile
0 Replies
 
 

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