I thought I was free but really, I'm not.
To be free, I thought it was enough to live in a free country like the United States but it's not.
I thought it was enough to have a loving family but it's not.
I thought as long as I had my health, I'll be free but I'm not.
What I am missing to be truly free is ...
... money and lots of it.
I have come to realize that without financial independence, I don't have any freedom. I am unable to do what I want when I want to so I have begun educating myself on how to become financially independent. I have begun applying some of the most important examples from my research (click here for my recommended reading list, which includes books on financial freedom) and it is working.
The first step that I recommend is to get into a habit of saving at least 10% of your income and putting it into a savings account that you don't dip into until you reach your retirement age (Note: You can retire as soon as you hit your retirement number. No one says your retirement age has to be 65 or over.)
That's it.
That's the first step to freedom.
No matter what happens, take 10% from any income you get. Automatically deduct it from your paycheck. Trust me, you won't miss it. You'll be just fine with what you have left to spend.
Just stumbled across your blog – I think its brilliant – well done!
Thanks Mike. I’m glad you find it helpful.
Love the blog! All of it! This article however is good in concept but not in application for everyone. I have been trying to keep our family on the road to financial independence for awhile now and I know that saving anything at this point is not doable. We use every cent on paying bills, buying food, etc. Oh, how I wish I could put more away though!
Melissa,
Thank you for your comment. It’s great that you are putting your family on the road to financial independence.
You’re right – we all have different starting points. Some of us may have the luxury to save right away and some us don’t. Also, our situations are subject to sudden change. We may lose our job or get ill and find it impossible to save. That’s why it’s important to make sure you are financially as strong as you can be so you weather life’s uncertainties.
If you really cannot save any money, what I would encourage you to do is to examine your expenses and see if you might be able to “save” money by lowering your expenses. If that’s really not possible, then focus your energy on earning more money while keeping expenses the same (to earn more money, offer people more value). When you do begin to make more money, don’t fall into the trap of spending more because you make more.
Best of luck to you and your family.
Great advice Robert. I myself have started my road to financial freedom. After reading the book Richest man in Babylon, I felt like the map that I need to use just became clearer. Just looked at your list of recommended reading, great list, thanks. I shall be picking one from your list for my next read.
Richest Man in Babylon is a great book and congratulations on starting your journey to financial freedom Donna!
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