Everybody wants to become RICH one day.

Still, how is it that some people have all the answers? How do the rich keeping getting richer while the poor keep getting poorer? Is the game actually rigged against us? Are we, in fact, doomed to live ordinary lives, merely controlled by our hedonistic desires and pleasures, forced to succumb to our animalistic urges, never able to actually get ahead in life, let alone get rich? Or, is there some solution? A way out, if you will? 

Clearly, these are questions posed by the masses. But not everyone can pull it off. What separates those who seem to have all the answers from those that are constantly jumping from one ship to the next, never able to truly find their gravy train? Well, the answers are far simpler than most would imagine. 

Don’t spend more money than you make.

 Not many people follow this advice. Many are focused on spending as much as possible. Whether it’s to revel in the perception of being more well-off than they actually are, or some other purpose, this is the truth across much of the developed world. 

Keep a Diary of your Expenses.

Benjamin Franklin once said, “Beware of little expenses. A small leak will sink a great ship.”

As easy as it might seem to ignore the little stuff, so to speak, the more you sweat the details, the better off you’ll be. Cancel that gym membership you haven’t used in six months. Eliminate that costly cable television plan. Stop buying expensive lattes and eating out when you know you can’t afford to do it. Download an app or purchase a small notebook and track every expense no matter how small or how big. 

Quit all the Bad Habits- drinking, smoking, gambling, etc.

Bad habits hold us back from achieving many kinds of goals. They stop us from losing weight, making more money, saving, investing and everything in between. The only way you can actually get ahead in life is to decimate those bad habits. You need to quit the bad habits before they lead you down a deathly spiral. 

It’s hard to achieve something that takes so much of your energy, such as getting rich, without eliminating your bad habits first. I’m not just talking about poor financial habits; I’m also talking about any other habit that eats away at you, physically, emotionally or mentally. 

Save 20 % of your Income every Month.

In order to get rich, you need to save at least 20 percent of your income off the top. Everyone has heard this before, but how many people actually follow this advice? 

The term “pay yourself first” holds major weight here. While some don’t find the importance in this, others realize that this not only provides a rainy-day fund in case of emergencies, but also moment-of-the-opportunity cash. When the right opportunity comes by, you need cash to seize it. If you don’t have the cash, you just missed the proverbial boat. 

Pay-Off your Debts.

When you’re debt-free from the bad debt (not the good debt like mortgages for investment properties and loans to grow you business, for example), take that money and put it towards your savings. The trick is not to go spending cash and splurging on a vacation or a new car once you’re debt-free. Stay focused. 

Don’t Rent but Own your House.

No matter what it takes, even if you have to downgrade your living situation, you should do what it takes to purchase a home. Sit down with a mortgage broker and assess your situation. Set some goals and create a plan of action.

Even if you don’t have enough money saved for a down payment right now, figure out what it’s going to take to buy your home. We’re not talking about your dream home here. However, over time, the money spent on your mortgage is far better invested than money spent paying rent. 

Invest, but only after Researching the hell out of it.

Many people invest for the sake of it. If you don’t have proper knowledge about the plans your investment offers then you might never really grow your money in it. The better you know an industry or niche, the more likely you’ll be able to spot ideas that could possibly create massive amounts of income for you in the future. No one else is going to do this for you. And when you do invest in something that you know, be sure to track it vehemently.

Multiple source of income but not mainstream.

Anyone who’s serious about getting rich needs to build multiple streams of passive income. Passive income is incredibly important when it comes to amassing wealth. Simply put, you to need to generate your income on autopilot if you want to create a considerable net worth. 

There are a number of passive income generating ideas that you could implement. Some of the most popular involve real estate and dividend income for those that can afford the often high-cost barrier of entry into those fields. Others opt for generating passive income by starting a blog, creating digital products such as e-books or courses, and even creating online tutorials, just to name a few examples.

Time Value of Money.

We all have the same amount of time in this world. You don’t have more than the next person and that person doesn’t have more time than another. No matter if they’re a powerful politician, a business magnate or a famous athlete, they don’t have more time than you do. Time is life’s greatest equalizer. 

It all depends on how you utilize your time. Every second is precious. Become lazy or procrastinate and lose your dream of being rich.

Rome was not built in a day.

Daily goal setting provides milestones on your way to your bigger goals. Break the big goal down to achievable daily goals that won’t seem so overwhelming. For example, if you want a $10 million dollar net worth in the next five or 10 years, figure out what it’s going to take on a daily basis to move closer to that goal.