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Daydream about quitting your job and doing something you love? Rather than simply dreaming, why not establish your goals and work toward a day when you have enough money or alternative income to quit? Here are some helpful tips that everyone can use.
Tip 1: Diversify your income sources
In addition to increasing your income, diversification can ensure that if one source of money dries up, you haven’t lost everything. Losing your job won’t mean the end of your income, and you will be in a position to ramp up one of the other sources to replace the lost salary. Continue with your primary job while moonlighting as a consultant or freelancer, or start a side business you can do in the evenings or over the weekends. Do something that comes naturally and you are good at. Ideally, try to make extra money doing something you enjoy.
Tip 2: Develop passive income streams
Even as you diversify your income sources, you’ll realize that there are only so many hours in the day. The beauty of passive, semi-passive and residual income is that these streams continue to generate money even while you are occupied at your regular job, meaning that you can increase your income exponentially without being limited to how much you can actively accomplish during working hours. Real-estate rentals, websites with affiliate links, information products, business interests, and royalties from published books, software programs, recorded music and photography are all somewhat passive sources of income, involving little to no active work as they keep generating money. You can also convert a secondary income source — say, a weekend ice-cream stand — into passive income by turning over the management and daily work to a trusted employee.
Tip 3: Pay yourself first
Make saving money a priority, and set aside a percentage of your income as savings. Take this out of your paychecks or profits each month before you pay the bills. Budget to ensure you’ll have enough to cover all your expenses, and increase your savings every time your income increases.
Tip 4: Avoid debt and high interest rates
Huge credit card balances and car loans are two of the biggest pitfalls on the way to wealth. A credit card balance of $7,000 at 18% interest will take four years to pay off with monthly payments of $205. Now imagine how much sooner you could meet your saving and investment goals with an extra $200 a month. If you haven’t fallen into the trap yet, avoid unnecessary debt and high interest rates. Put your money to work for you, not the banks.
Tip 5: Live like a millionaire
The Millionaire Next Door, that is. Mimic the frugal habits of self-made millionaires if you wish to join their ranks. They spend less than what they earn, research large purchases, avoid debt and pay cash for their vehicles. The very wealthy tend not to have especially expensive taste. Read The Millionaire Mind to learn how millionaires really live — you might be surprised.
Tip 6: Invest wisely and regularly
Don’t invest in things you don’t understand, and make sure you diversify your investments to minimize your risk. Set up automatic investment contributions, and participate in any employer-matching plans available to you. Structure your investments for your targeted retirement date, becoming more conservative and less aggressive in your portfolio as you come closer to relying on your investment earnings for living expenses.
Tip 7: Stay married
Divorce is one of the leading destroyers of wealth in American families. The cost of divorce, legal counsel, child support and alimony add up to severely limit your ability to save money and grow wealth. In addition, virtually all self-made millionaires have been married once and stayed married to the same person. This stability allows you to create more wealth and hold on to your earnings as a couple.
Tip 8: Track your finances
A written budget, whether it’s in your notebook or online at Mint.com, keeps you on track and gives you a visual representation of your overall financial picture. Keep track of your savings, investments and earnings and compare them to your goals. Go over your finances regularly, with weekly and monthly check-ins to stay on track.
Tip 9: Borrow carefully
Look for the lowest interest rates available, and only take out loans that make sense for your financial situation. For some people, this will mean never borrowing money and saving up for an education, house or vehicle. Others are comfortable with low-interest loans that free up their resources to make more money than the loan costs. For example, with peer-to-peer lending, you can potentially bring your interest rates down to almost nothing, and then reinvest that money at higher interest rates. Evaluate the true cost of any new debt you take on. Be especially wary of taking out larger loans than you truly need, as paying them back can be harder than you think.
Early retirement or the opportunity to pursue your dream job? The choice is yours. Follow these easy tips and pretty soon the millionaire might not just be next door, he or she might just be living in your house.
你做过白日梦吗，不再工作，做你喜欢的事情？与其简单地想象，为何不树立目标并且朝着你有足够多的钱或者有替代收入的那一天努力呢？这里是一些有益的适合所有人的提示。
提示1：使收入多样化
除了提高你的收入，收入多样化可以确保当一种收入来源枯竭的时候，你不会失去一切。失去工作也不会意味着收入的终止，你可以提高其他的收入来替代失去的部分。在晚上继续你作为顾问或者自由职业者的主业，或者开始一份你能在网上或者周末从事的副业。做些水到渠成的并且你所擅长的事情。理想的话，适着做一些你喜欢的事情来挣些外快。
提示：培养消极收入
哪怕你的收入来源多样化，你还是会觉得每天的时间就这么点。被动收入和剩余收益的好处在于，即使你在工作的时候，它们也能不断地产生收益，这意味着你不用收到在工作时间主动完成了多少工作的限制，也能提高你的收入。房产租金、网站链接、信息产品、商业利益、著作版税、软件程序、音乐录制、摄影都可以成为某种被动收入的来源，这些收入不需要什么主动的工作也可以持续产生收益。你也可以将次要的收入来源，比方说，周末经营的冰激淋小摊，通过将管理和日常工作移交给可信任的员工而转变为被动收入的来源。
提示3：先为自己买单
存钱是最为重要的事情，将你收入的一定百分比作为存款。将这部分钱在你每月支付的账单之前，从付款支票或者利润中扣除。做好预算，确保你能支付所有的费用，当收入增加时要增加你的存款金额。
提示4. 避免借贷和高利率
高额信用卡欠款和汽车贷款是通向财富道路上的两个最大的陷阱。7000美元的信用卡帐款，以18%的利率计算，则需要连续四年每月支付205美元才能还清。想象一下如果每月多存200美元的话，你将能提前多久完成你的存款和投资目标。如果你还没有调入这个陷阱，那么避免不必要的贷款和高利率。让你的钱为你服务，而不要为银行服务。
提示5：像个百万富翁那样生活
那就是，隔壁的百万富翁。如果你想要加入他们的行列，既要仿效那些白手起家的百万富翁们的节约的习惯。他们花的比挣得少，大宗购买前做调查，避免债务，支付现金购买汽车。那些十分富有的人们基本上没有奢侈的爱好。读读百万富翁的头脑这本书来学习他们是如何生活的——也许你会感到吃惊的。
提示6：精明稳定地投资
不要投资那些你不懂的东西，确保投资多样化把风险降到最低。设立自动投资金额，参加公司提供的福利计划。根据你确定的退休日期规划你的投资，当你越来越接近依赖你的投资收益来生活的时候，要采取减少激进、趋向保守的投资组合。
提示7：维持婚姻
离婚是美国家庭财富的头号破坏者。离婚的成本、法律咨询、抚养孩子、离婚赡养费加在一起会严重降低你存钱盒财富增长的能力。此外，事实上，所有白手起家的百万富翁一旦结婚就会维持下去。这种稳定性能使你创造更多的财富并且以夫妇的名义持有收益。
提示8：追踪你的财物状况
一份书面预算，不论是在你的笔记本里或者在Mint网上，能对你的财物概况进行追踪并且提供视觉上的陈述。追踪你的存款、投资、收益，并将它们与你的目标进行比较。每周和每月都定期回顾你的财务状况以维持追踪。
提示9：谨慎借钱
寻找可能的最低利率的借款，并且只在对你的财务状况有意义时贷款。对某些人而言，这将意味着永不借款，并且为了教育、房子和汽车存款。其他的人则对低息贷款感到满意，因为这样能将他们的钱去挣比贷款成本更多的钱。比如，通过个人网络贷款平台，你有机会将你的利率降到几乎为零，然后将钱重新投资到利率较高的地方去。评估每一次新债务的真实成本。需要特别提防的是借了比你实际需要更多的贷款，因为还清贷款回比拟想象得要艰难。
早早退休或者有机会去追求你梦想中的工作？选择在你的手里。按照这些简单的提示去做，很快百万富翁不会只在隔壁了，他或她可能就在你的家里。
