I don’t think there is anyone reading this that doesn’t think that 100G’s isn’t a lot of money.

(If you do think so, can I have $100,000, please? I swear I will put it to good use!)

Think of everything $100,000 could buy you.

A Tesla Model X.

---

A 44’ Jeanneau SunMagic sailboat and enough money to sail the world for a year.

---

40+ in-town acres in Vermont with enough left to bring in a tiny house.

---

A bitchin’ kitchen and bathroom remodel plus an inground pool.

---

A whole house! (I paid less than $100K for mine)

---

2,000 meals for two in a decent restaurant.

---

100 iPhone X’s.

---

10 12.5 Bitcoins.

The specific choices are endless, you can fantasize about it all day if you wanted.

Over the past three years, I have accumulated $100,000 all while working a job that pays less than $65K/yr. In addition, I purchased a mini-van to haul my expanding family. Yes, during these same 3 years my amazing stay-at-home wife and I have produced two little ones.

Most married people wouldn’t have saved up $100K in three years if they were BOTH earning $65K and had no kids.

Why?

Simple. Most people spend every dollar they get. Some even more than they earn!

They lack a purpose for their money. They lack the money mindset that I have. A mindset that is determined to become financially independent.

Oh, did you know instead of ‘stuff’ you can buy some of your freedom with that much money?

According to the 4% rule, you can safely buy $4,000 per year for the rest of your life with 100K. Acquire enough passive income to cover your expenses and you no longer have to work for money.

That’s what I chose to buy.

Financial Freedom Mindset

I think that most people would like to have the option to not to HAVE to go to work to earn a living. But most people still think that they have to be a certain age to retire. I mean, you can’t claim Social Security until you are at least 62, right? What about Medicare? You’re gonna need that.

The problem with this line of thinking is that you are looking outside yourself for security. I say build that security from within.

You can create a solid retirement yourself and gain back all those years. Anything you get from the government is one bill away from being changed. What you create yourself is something you can control.

You become the captain of your financial future, not a passenger. Most people are content to be passengers. I challenge you to build your financial mindset. One that says “If I can dream it, I can do it.”

I built that mindset, and now I am building my financial future – one small step at a time.

How I Accumulated 100K In Three Years

 

(Personal Capital proof)
I already mentioned that I earned less than $65K annually during this time period. However, this does not mean that is all I earned. I also saved where I could.

You see, finances are like two levers. One marked ‘Saving’ and one labeled ‘Earning.’

Some people say not to bother with the saving lever, just earn more! That only people with a poor mindset touch the savings lever. Other people are too scared to touch the earning lever as they either don’t care to learn about earning more or are scared of failing.

I say work BOTH levers – save more and earn more!

So I found ways to earn income from many sources – writing, secret shopping, eBay and Amazon sales, working gigs, investing, and passive income.

Additionally, I found ways to stop money from leaving me. Finding deals, using discounts, rebates, cash back, negotiating, paying less taxes, fixing things myself, cutting back or eliminating spending on things that mattered little to me, and numerous other small things that all added up to large savings.

When I started my first mission was to eliminate bad debt. So I paid off my car and a personal loan. Now my only debt is a small mortgage. You can see how flat my investments were in 2015 while I focused on debt payoff.

I now live on a spending level that I had 10 or 15 years ago while my income has grown since those days. The difference gets invested.

I didn’t learn everything about income generation and money-saving overnight. Bit by bit I learned and tried different ideas.

I am far from the best person at these things, but I continue to learn and improve myself and my situation.

You CAN Do It Too

I am not special. There is no grand secret to what I am doing, the information is out there if you wish to find it. You can become financially independent too.

It doesn’t happen overnight, though. You have to be prepared for the long journey. To strengthen your determination you need to have a strong WHY. This is the deep desire to achieve your goal. The ability to overcome obstacles that will fall on your path.

When you have that deep desire inside you, you will have the endurance to succeed.

You will also have to learn what to do. You can learn by trial and error or you can learn from someone else. I often share my experiences and tips I have learned, so be sure to follow me if this interests you.

Another thing to do is track your progress. One day to the next will often be identical so it is important to have something to look back on and see how far you have come. Humans easily forget the past. If you forget your past, you don’t realize how far you have come.

No matter how much or how little you earn, there is always room to save and earn more. If you think you can’t or what I am saying is impossible then you need to get rid of the sob story and take responsibility for where you are in life.

Being financially independent is something each of us can become, no matter the income or situation.

As always, it’s your choice.