by Benjamin James

Created on: May 17, 2009

When I worked as a bank teller straight out of college, I was often surprised by the large amounts of money that certain customers had in their accounts. I was surprised because judging by my observations, like the way they were dressed or their occupation, I assumed that they were living pay check to pay check. But they weren't, they had accumulated a sizable amount of wealth.

When we think of the "wealthy", we have the tendency to think of celebrities, doctors, and corporate CEO's driving their luxury cars to the country club. However, the largest portion of America's "wealthy" are everyday people like school teachers, mechanics, car salesmen, and janitors. In fact, many of these everyday people are more financially secure than some of the mega-income earning people.

What is their secret? They bought a $100,000 home when they could have gotten financed for a $200,000 home; they believe that their Chevy Malibu gets them to work just as well as a Lexus would have; they are willing to wait before purchasing the latest gadget because they know that in a year the price will probably be 50% lower; and they save and invest for their next vacation or a rainy day.

The thought, If I only earned more income. has crossed many of our minds on occasion. However, consider that merely making more money will not guarantee wealth. The road to wealth starts with a mindset that you can be content with less. In fact, the person on the road to wealth would rather have less than to be burdened with higher debt or risk not having enough money to meet future needs. On that same road to wealth, you will recognize that emergencies always arise in life; so you save for car repairs and home maintenance expenses.

If you are struggling to make ends meet right now, the thought of mustering up money to save may seem daunting. However, many people began their journey by saving $10 or $20 a paycheck and then they gradually found ways to cut expenses or increase their income in order to save more. Another tip is to make it your rule to save any additional money you receive; such as birthday present money, rebate money from a purchase, or additional income from a raise.

In general, by spending and saving wisely, wealth is accessible to us all. That wealth gives us the ability to meet our financial needs, gives us peace when we do buy some of life's pleasures, and empowers us to help those who are struggling.

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