My parents didn’t have much money growing up, and it was often a source of tension. (In the form of wisdom and morals, they more than made up for it.) Not surprisingly though, I made it my mission in life to have ‘enough’ money, figuring out what it would take to save one million dollars by the time I was 55.
After high school, I joined the Air Force to pay for college, and immediately began sacking money away in stocks and bonds. (This was technically a mistake, I should have created an ‘emergency account’ first with 3-6 months savings.) None-the-less, I was off and running.
Unfortunately, this direction soon become something of an ‘idol’ for me, and I had to learn, (and am continuing to need to learn) to be more generous with my money.
The current vocational direction I am heading will not bring me anywhere near one million dollars, but one can still abide by the principles that would get one there, had they the income to make it possible.
What are those principles? In a sentence, “save more and spend less!”
But if you want it spelled out in an article, go here.
And if you want a wealth of tools and calculators, go here (click the 'pull down' menue on the left).
But remember, you are going to die, possibly tomorrow; so don’t get so caught up with money that you forget what is truly important in life. It is just a tool to enable the amazing (and frankly often a hinderance to the amazing).
8 comments:
David: I've been in the finacial services industry for over 30 years and have come to see the great wisdom of Eccl 5:10-12:
"He who loves money will not be satisfied with money, nor he who loves wealth with his income; this also is vanity. When goods increase, they increase who eat them, and what advantage has their owner but to see them with his eyes? Sweet is the sleep of a laborer, whether he eats little or much, but the full stomach of the rich will not let him sleep."
blind beggar, I completely agree with that passage, and a dozen others like it. But the fact is we have money, and a lot of it, compared to the rest of the world. Were going to do something with it. The question is what?
blind beggar, I think my former title Get Rich Quick (or not), may have given you the wrong impression, which is my fault, so as you can see I changed it. Thanks. I hope the new one more acurately reflects my view of money.
David: You are right on target in raising a question about what we will do with our riches. Part of the issue is that to many of us think these riches are OURS, when in fact nothing belongs to us. It is all the Lords. The most satisfying life is not the life of greed and acquisitiveness, but the life that is given away.
Dave,
If you haven't already, get Dave Ramsey's book, "The Total Money Makeover".
You'll reach your goal of being a millionaire by the time you are 55, AND be debt-free, AND be able to give, AND pursue your Calling.
Being a millionaire by the age of 65, or even 55, is really easy, if you don't go into debt.
And Dave is an Evangelical, so, there isn't ONE thing in there that is even REMOTELY unBiblical. He sticks to Scripture, and tells you how to do it.
thanks h.d.d.
I have gone through Dave Ramsey’s stuff and it has helped my marriage and finances so much. Having freedom in this area has made us able to live better off of less and give more and more regularly then ever before. It is so so biblical. The best I have seen!
Amen to the Humble Devil Dog, and David Baxley.
I also took the Dave Ramsey course.
Though we won't be millionaires by the time we're 55, (I'm in my 50's)
we're getting out of debt and, Lord willing, will have some discretionary funds.
Mom
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