The keys to building wealth may be simpler than you think. In fact, a few easy steps can put you on the right path to financial freedom.

Your path may be shorter or longer than others’, but the goal is to create a plan and stick to it. Building wealth is something of an art form, and there’s no secret to achieving a life full of prosperity.

5 Keys to Building Wealth

Does your income impact your ability to build wealth? Well, it certainly does. However, you can always save money as long as you have a steady job.

It may be a slower process with a lower income, and you may have to make a few more sacrifices, but it’s possible. For example, the five keys to building wealth are:

• Evaluate your income periodically
• Automate your savings efforts
• Reduce your high-interest debts
• Live within your means
• Invest early and wisely.

Each of these keys depends on the others to succeed. Therefore, you have to create a balanced plan that addresses each of these needs. Here’s how you can do it.

Evaluate Your Income

There are two types of income: your earned income and your passive income. Earned income comes from your job, while passive income comes from your investments.

It’s important to evaluate your income at least once a year. Do you enjoy your work? How much do you make? Are there advancement opportunities? How can you get there?

Ask yourself these questions and connect the dots. You may learn that you want to pursue other options or further your education. Or you may determine that you really enjoy what you do and want to expand on your current career path.

This will help you determine your goals and what it will take to get there. In general, there are many requirements to earning more responsibility and higher pay. This can include your education, training, experience and communication skills. Periodic income reviews will help you discover which areas need more focus going forward to reach your goals.

Automate Your Savings Efforts

Saving money is one of the most important keys to building wealth. It’s the foundation for the entire process. Yet many people struggle to do so, and here is why…

Spending money is tempting and there are plenty of triggers out there in the world. You will face them each and every day. This leads to overspending your budget and taking on debt.

However, banking has advanced in many ways to help you become more efficient with your savings. And there is no better option than automating these efforts.

Setup an automatic transfer from your checking to your savings account each month. Make sure this amount considers your income and living needs.

Save every penny you can. This alone will give you more room to take on unexpected costs, such as healthcare expenses.

Reduce High-Interest Debts

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: Not all debt is bad debt. Having a mortgage or taking on student loans is an investment that I consider to be “good debt.” But there’s one debt that you cannot allow to pile up.

Credit cards commonly come with high interest rates that will hinder your ability to build wealth. So it’s important to eliminate this debt as quickly as possible.

Take all of your debts and arrange them by interest rate. Place the highest rates at the top and the lowest rates at the bottom. Ensure that you are making the minimum payments for each of these accounts every month.

Next, place a precedence on the debts with the highest rates. The goal is to minimize the impact of the interest rates. Paying down this debt is one of the most valuable keys to building wealth.

Live Within Your Means

Balance is everything in life. And in wealth building, this balance comes from budgeting.

Social media paints a picture of living the life of luxury, but you should not compare yourself to others. Everyone has different financial priorities.

Make sure you stick to your priorities and be the best version of yourself. Trust me, this will pay off in the long run. Live within your means and reap the rewards later in life.

Budget for bills, food, travel and any other interests. Create a routine and don’t splurge if you don’t have to.

Invest Early and Wisely

The keys to building wealth need an ignition to really get going. This is where your passive income comes into play. Making smart investments is the best way to build wealth quickly.

You can fast track your path to financial freedom by investing in stocks. Learn more about the stock market and put money aside to invest once you feel comfortable.

Consider compound interest. The smallest of investments can lead to massive returns in the stock market. And to see this powerful concept at work, check out our free investment calculator.

This is an opportunity to earn a lot more money than you originally put in. Begin investing as early as you can. At the most basic levels of investing, you can make huge gains. Imagine what you can do after gaining experience in the stock market!

Your Keys to Building Wealth

Are you having a difficult time building wealth in your life? If so, you may not be taking full advantage of your investments.

Sign up for the Investment U e-letter below. Our experts have decades of experience helping individuals like you grow toward financial freedom. You will gain access to wealth creation tips and market trends that may lead to the next big investment opportunity.

Follow the guide above and watch your income pile up. These keys to building wealth will give you a jump-start to meeting your financial goals for the future.

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