The greatest lesson I ever learned about wealth was shared by Kurt Vonnegut at a hedge fund manager’s house party.
He was gazing at the lavish digs with his pal Joseph Heller, the author of one of the top 20 novels of all time, Catch-22.
Vonnegut mused over the fact that their host had made more money in a single day than Heller made in a lifetime of royalties from Catch-22.
Heller responded and said . . .
“Yes, but I have something he will never have: Enough.” JH
Here are three shortcuts for a sure path to wealth.
Every decision is a thousand dollar bill
My parents were not millionaires and yet they retired with enough before age 60.
How?
They made every decision count and they counted the cost of every decision.
- They lived frugally in a small home in San Antonio
- Upon retirement, they paid cash for a 40 acre farm
- They lived satisfied on a $48,000 retirement income
Oh, by the way, they figured out how to send my brother, sister and I to college without borrowing money.
My folks taught me that wealth has more to do with how you handle money vs. how markets handle money.
By “markets” I mean stock market or housing market, anywhere we put money.
I’m amused by folks who blame their financial plight on…
- job
- spouse
- investments
- business partner
But, at the end of the day, our financial condition is the sum of our decisions.
- How we spend
- How we save
Remember three laws about money
Farms are a great example of a lifetime of decisions.
“I went past the field of a sluggard, past the vineyard of someone who has no sense; thorns had come up everywhere, the ground was covered with weeds, and the stone wall was in ruins. I applied my heart to what I observed and learned a lesson from what I saw: A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest and poverty will come on you like a thief and scarcity like an armed man.” Proverbs 24: 30-34
Folks who don’t weed, pull thorns or set boundaries end up poor.
Folks who weed the garden regularly (set limits on spending) end up with a beautiful harvest.
- When everyone expands you preserve
- When everyone sells you hold
- When everyone jumps you think
“The only thing that endures over time is the law of the farm. I must prepare the ground, put in the seed, cultivate it, weed it, water it, then gradually nurture growth and development to full maturity. Can you ‘forget’ to plant in the spring or goof off all summer and then hit the ground real hard in the fall to bring in the harvest?” Stephen Covey
Farmers don’t operate on the fly. They prepare. Same thing with the wealthy.
The simplicity formula to wealth
Another shortcut to wealth is simplicity.
You spend less by relishing the things you enjoy most.
“I have forty-six cookbooks, three hundred two dishes, bowls, cups, saucers, mugs and glasses. I eat over the sink. I have thirty-nine pairs of golf, tennis, running, casual and formal shoes. I’m wearing slippers.” Rick Moranis
Numerous products come our way as improvements but usually clutter our lives.
Match your spending to the simple joys in life and watch your savings soar.
What are your favorite rules for financial security?