How To Become A Millionaire
Becoming a millionaire is one of the great American dreams. While the idea of a Horatio Alger-style up by the bootstraps success story may be harder to achieve, you could one day be one of those obnoxious rich guys with the resources to buy us all.
1. Save For Retirement. This is the slow and steady path to prosperity, but far too many people don’t take the shot. Sign up for a 401k at work, put a percentage of each paycheck in a savings account, mutual fund or other type of long-term investment. The best way is to put this money out of sight, out of mind. If you’re in your 20s, 30s, or 40s, the only element that matters is what your rate of return is once you hit 65.
2. Find The Next Google. A lot of people made millions when Google went public, as they did with companies like Microsoft, Apple, etc. Study a sector of the economy, figure out the winners and losers, and when you feel comfortable, put your money on the stock you think will win. Caveat: Make sure you can afford a loss, for every Google there are 5,000 dotcom busts. It’s a very high risk… but the reward could get you an island-sized boat.
3. Open Up Shop. America is a great place for entrepreneurs. Don’t just look for something that could make a lot of money, look for something you’re passionate about. It needs to be the type of work where money is just the gravy on top, something where you don’t dread getting up in the morning. You could be the next Steve Jobs. Or even Steve Jobs’ groundskeeper.
4. Inherit The Cash. Probably the sleaziest path to riches, its also a long-standing American tradition. You can marry into money by finding a wife with a rich clan, or bypass the middlewoman by looking for a cougar with a nest egg. Sure, this involves waiting around for people to die but if you’ve gone this far, taste becomes quaint. See Hilton, Paris.
5. Win The Lottery. Just about the most impossible way to become a millionaire, this is a tax on the stupid. Let’s say you beat the odds (which are better in Vegas), almost half of your “winnings” gets skimmed before you are handed the giant fake check. The lottery is the path for those who don’t want to do more than hand dollars to the 7-11 guy in the vague hopes that you maybe might possibly hit the big one. Maybe.
