That’s because your financial goals aren’t really geared toward savings and smart investments. These aren’t necessarily bad financial goals to have but if these are your reasons for becoming a millionaire, it does mean that you’re likely to run out of money very quickly. You can cultivate a fortune of your very own simply by setting a goal, sticking to a budget, and saving money every month! In fact, contrary to popular opinion, you don’t need to make seven figures to begin with! You don’t even need a substantial salary. And if we repeat this process multiple times every month, we’ve thrown away hundreds of dollars before we ever even realize it! But what would happen if we held onto those little chunks of money every time instead? What would happen if we saved them and put them aside? By carefully saving over time, the authors affirm that it’s easy to put aside enough money to become a self-made millionaire. Because, at one point or another, everyone has thought, “Oh, it’s only $5, $10, or $15! It won’t hurt to spend just a little bit!” But every time we employ that logic and spend another “small” amount on something we don’t need, we’re throwing away another little bit of money. The things we buy may be different for everyone, but the logic is the same. Here’s how it works: you start by simply cutting out all the purchases you don’t need. How are you going to make your house payment? How will you pay for your flashy car’s insurance or repairs? How can you keep up with your new high-class friends? What are you going to do when something breaks in your house?

Now an overwhelming portion of your “infinite amount of money” is gone. You spend a little extra on some designer clothes to match your new lifestyle. You spend at least half of it on a fancy house. So, let’s imagine that you really do have a million dollars.

Why? Well, although we tend to conceptualize “a million dollars” as being an infinite sum of money, the truth is that it’s anything but. That’s because it’s a lot easier to become a millionaire than it is to stay a millionaire. But is it really true that more money can lead to more problems? Most of us will never have to worry about a problematic excess of wealth, but the authors’ argue that your secret billionaire buddies’ success is largely due to their acceptance of this fact. We’re all familiar with the famous song by The Notorious B.I.G.

The millionaire next door audio book