13 ‘Stupid And Simple’ Habits I Used To Save $1 Million And Retire Early At 35

Our passions, which tend to be more on the creative side, can’t always pay the bills, our strengths can.

Mine, for example, is photography. But my forte is in computing. In 2004, my starting salary as a software engineer was $55,000, and by 2016 I was making over $100,000. I’m not sure I would have made that much if I had chosen to follow my passion.

While it’s possible to combine your hobby with a well-paying business career, it’s less common than you might think. Build a career around what you’re good at.

Throughout my career, I have worked with many wealthy people. Instead of being jealous of them, I took notes.

I will never forget Brian, who I worked with after college. He was a few years older than me and he drove a six year old Honda Accord. Although he was a millionaire, he had a cheap Casio watch and didn’t wear designer clothes.

Brian was always the first person in the office, never getting involved in office politics and often volunteering to take on more responsibilities. He did not come from money. Instead, he gained his wealth by investing and controlling his spending.

If you only date people who like to drink in bars and spend money, chances are you follow those same money-draining habits.

I improved my life by improving my friends. I partnered with the best in the office. I spent more time with people who were more successful than me. My mission was to build a relationship with them. His habits rubbed off on me. We motivate each other.

I began to make better decisions about money and cut back on alcohol. At work, I regularly worked overtime and asked for raises and promotions, just like high achievers did. It worked.

I invested in my employer-sponsored 401(k) plan and got the 4% company match, which was free money my employer contributed on my behalf.

Some companies also offer Health Savings Accounts, or HSAs, to help employees save money before taxes for qualified medical expenses, like deductibles and medications. The beauty of an HSA is that it acts like a 401(k) later in life. After you turn 65, unused money can be withdrawn for any purpose.

Your full-time job may also offer educational and training opportunities to help you improve your marketable skills, such as computer programming, accounting, and time management. These skills can be used to earn promotions and raises throughout your career.

Taking a new job is often the easiest way to get a raise because negotiating a higher salary is a natural part of the process.

I got a 15-20% raise every time I changed companies. This goes well beyond the typical 3% cost-of-living raises that many employers offer their staff.

Just be careful not to switch carriers too often. Try to stay in each position for at least a year, because some employers won’t hire candidates who change jobs frequently. The hiring and onboarding process is expensive.

I used automatic payroll deductions for my IRA 401(k) and Roth accounts. I also used automatic bank transfers to contribute money to my brokerage account. This helped ensure that I was saving money from each paycheck.

I also signed up for automatic utility bill payments like electricity, water, and even some credit cards. I never missed a single payment and avoided late fees, interest payments and other penalties.

An unfortunate part of doing something meaningful is that you will get hate. Sometimes a lot.

People will criticize you for spending money differently. You may lose friends if you turn down those weekly happy hours at your local bar. It’s not always easy, but ignoring hate is an integral part of creating wealth.

Just because your neighbors bought a new car, boat, or house doesn’t mean you should.

The best way to ignore the Joneses is to stay focused on your own goals. My wife and I talked about our hopes for the future every night as we walked our dogs around the neighborhood. This helped keep our goals front and center in our minds.

We don’t let other people’s spending habits affect ours.

Too often, spouses have different ideas about spending habits, goals, and dreams. If left unchecked, these differences can cause arguments and other relationship problems that keep you from reaching your financial goals.

Healthy relationships depend on open communication with your partner, so you can align yourself with goals and what makes you happy.

Talking about our future goals every day kept my wife and I on the same page about what we wanted our future to look like and what steps we would take now to make it happen.

Life is more than money. Above all, my health is my top priority. Good health makes you happier and more productive, and it also reduces the chances of unexpected medical expenses.

In 2007, he was out of shape and unhealthy. I decided to change my lifestyle by eating better and exercising regularly. Over the next two years, I lost 70 pounds and got in the best shape of my life.

Today I am 41 years old and I still train with weights every day. This year, my wife and I spent $10,000 building an exclusive home gym on our seven-acre property. It was the best money we have ever spent.

Even if I didn’t know how to do a job that was offered to me, I always accepted the challenge and solved it on the spot.

I remember one Friday at the office, I was called to a meeting with the CEO of the company I worked for. He was nervous going in, but it turned out to be the best career opportunity he’d ever had.

The organization fired an entire management team above me and they wanted me to be the director of information technology. As a low-level software developer, that big jump seemed daunting. I had never worked as a manager before and did not feel fully prepared for such a big promotion.

My mind told me to say “Thanks, but no thanks,” but I agreed anyway. I asked a lot of questions, found mentors, and gained the experience I needed to level up my entire career from then on.