3 things you need to know about money (never be broke again)
Read Time: 8 Minutes
Welcome to Kaizen Culture, your weekly newsletter where I deliver valuable tips, tools, and guidance to help you create freedom, abundance, and positive change in your life.
Join us every Saturday morning for holistic cheat codes that will accelerate your improvement both personally and professionally.
What you can expect today:
- 1 Topic: Most people are broke
- 1 Tip: Never be broke again (3 things)
- 1 Takeaway: Automatically track your finances
- 1 Thought: Is money the most important thing?
- 1 Tribute: Literally from rags to riches
Today’s Topic: Most people are broke
Did you know that most Americans have $1,000 or less in personal savings? Or that a large number have no savings?
This should scare you.
Do you want to be running out of money before you run out of month?
Or do you want to consistently see your bank account increase, all while making more and more money?
I’ve had seasons of my life where I was killing it financially…
Others where I was dead broke.
I grew up in an interesting environment where I got to experience both the middle class, and also poverty in my childhood.
- I’ve seen family members donate plasma, steal, or sell drugs to survive.
- I saw my mom struggle to even afford gas, or a roof over her head.
- I saw my dad earn good money, but have poor financial habits.
I wasn’t engineered to succeed with money.
I was financially on my own around the age of 16/17.
At the time I was providing for my ex girlfriend and even helping out family as well.
I knew I so badly wanted to earn a lot of money, and to know I could secure a good future for myself financially.
Up until the age of 18 I worked “traditional jobs”:
- worked at a call center
- worked for a local city doing landscaping
- started a seasonal landscaping business on the side
My financial education began at age 16 with me reading books like rich dad poor dad, and learning from mentors like Grant Cardone.
This is when I learned what I am going to teach you today.
I still remember when I first had $10,000 in my bank account at 19 years old, and clearing $100k in income for the first time.
Then I had $25,000 at 21 years old earning $200,000 in a year.
Then $50,000 at 22 years old earning $250,000 in a year – this even allowed me to buy my 1st house.
Finally one day I crossed $100,000 in my bank account by the time I was 23 years old and earned $275,000 in a year.
How could I possibly F*** that up?
Here’s what I realized keeps most people broke:
- Cost of living creep – Your expenses will always rise to the level of your income without financial discipline.
- Complacency and money aren’t friends – Money is energy, and if you get bored so will your money.
- Consistent financial planning – It’s not about being perfect, but about being consistent.
I made some big decisions that set me back:
- I had a breakup and gave up half my money. (stupid)
- I had a life crisis, and invested $20k, then $50k, then $100k in myself. (smart)
- Worst of all I stopped using what I learned, and what I am going to teach you today. (mistake)
The biggest thing I learned?
If you don’t have a plan for your money, someone else does.
Without a financial strategy you will end up broke, tight on cash, and frustrated. Financial stress is probably one of the worst to deal with.
With that out of the way, let’s dive into the 3 things you need to know about money… so that you never are broke again.
Make sure to stick around til the end, because the 3rd tip is the most crucial.
Today’s Tip: Never be broke again (3 things)
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“It doesn’t matter how hard you row. It matters which boat you get in.”
Warren Buffett
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1st Thing: You need the right vehicle
Here’s the thing, you can’t become financially free if you don’t earn enough money to support yourself and then some in the first place.
Our Ability to earn a great amount of money comes from the vehicle, or the opportunity we choose to make money in.
You can work hard as hell, but you aren’t gonna earn $100k in a year
- At your local McDonalds
- Waiting tables
- Working an hourly job
Unless you make $50 an hour which most people don’t.
Even making $25-30 an hour nowadays isn’t enough.
I can’t stress the importance of finding the right vehicle, something where your earning potential isn’t limited by the hour.
You to earn that money as a W2 employee which I’ve done, or as someone that is self employed which I’ve also done.
It’s unlikely you even earn $100k+ a year without developing your skills.
The people who earn the most in any job, or industry have at least one of these 4 skills:
Sales
I’ve mostly sold cars, Real Estate, and services. You can sell those, or products, services, information, ideas… some people even sell themselves (I’m looking at you OnlyFans lol).
This is the easiest, and most rewarding skill to learn in my opinion. You can make $100k+ easily in sales, whether on your own or as a W2 employee. Commissions, hourly + commissions, salary + commissions, etc.
Marketing
Marketing is a vast skillset. You can learn how to build websites, advertise (facebook ads, or something similar), learn graphic design, branding, etc. Marketing would allow you to get a great salary, or you can freelance and determine your own income. PS. – you still gotta sell with this opportunity lol, either sell yourself as a good candidate, or sell your services.
Leadership
One of the other highest paid roles is that of the leader. You can start your own company, or work for another. Either way leaders hold some of the highest paid positions. You could be a manager, team lead, CEO, the list goes on. Theres a reason CEO’s can earn $500-1000 an hour in a company, or that business owners have a lot of earning potential.
Communication
Your ability to speak, network, influence, persuade, write, and negotiate all play into the first 3 skills above. “Words are god like”. Communicate well, and you will always be able to get what you want in life.
Takeaway?
If you can learn at least 1 of these skills you will make as much money as you want to.
If you can learn all 4, you will be able to print money on demand – and always do what you want to for a living.
My crazy ass chose, and is choosing to master all 4. I know the better I get at these skills, the more money I can make.
2nd Thing: You need a solid plan
The best plan I have ever heard when it comes to managing money:
Save a percentage of your income.
Pretty easy right?
Most people don’t do it.
According to George S Clason – the author of one of my favorite books the Richest Man in Babylon:
“That what each of us calls our ‘necessary expenses’ will always grow to equal our incomes unless we aim for the opposite.”
Another way to describe this is “lifestyle creep”.
Would it alarm you to know that the people earning $250k+ a year, live paycheck to paycheck just like those earning $50k a year?
What if I told you that isn’t even a lot of money?
Now there are two versions of this tip I am going to give you today.
Let’s call one “easy” mode and the other “hard” mode.
Easy mode comes out of the same book:
He teaches…
‘I found the road to wealth when I decided that a part of all I earned was mine to keep. And so will you.’
More specifically:
- Save 10% of any money you earn, and do not touch it.
Sounds pretty easy, and honestly it is.
You can start doing this right away, and I am telling you – it feels so good to see money piling up, knowing you have SOME plan rather than just winging it.
Now lets talk about hard mode, this comes from Grant Cardone – a billionaire business & real estate mogul that I owe much to for his teachings on money, sales, and business.
His rule is called the 40 / 40 / 20 rule.
Cardone says that from your gross income so your income before taxes – 40% should be set aside for taxes, 40% should be saved, and you should live off of the remaining 20%.
“A lot of people are going to say, ‘That’s going to be impossible. I make $4,000 a month. You’re telling me to take $1,600 a month off the top and use that for investments?’ Yes, that’s what I’m telling you,” Cardone said. “You’ve got to live off the remainder. You’ve got to live off 20%.”
Now that may sound crazy but here is why it worked for me:
“Because this will be difficult, it will incentivize you to earn more.” Cardone said.
“What are you forced to do when you don’t have enough money? You’ve got to earn more money,” he said. “This is what forces somebody’s income to go up. It will force you to find creative ways to get more income.”
This one tip lead to me earning almost $100,000 in one month, and saving $100,000.
Are you going to play on easy mode, or on hard mode?
I recommend starting with easy mode – just 10% set aside of any money you make, and slowly increase the percentage over time.
Do what it takes to earn more money, and get excited because you will be ahead of most people in no time.
3rd Thing: You need the right mindset
Most people live with a scarce mindset that they adopted from their parents, or society as a whole.
“Money doesn’t grow on trees”. “There isn’t enough”. “Money is the root of all evil”. “That’s too risky”.
Do you think with a mindset like that you will ever be financially abundant? No.
Here’s a quote that describes it so well:
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“I bargained with Life for a penny, and Life would pay no more, However I begged at evening When I counted my scanty store; Life is a just employer. He gives you what you ask, But once you have set the wages, Why, you must bear the task. I worked for a menial’s hire, Only to learn, dismayed, That any wage I had asked of Life, Life would have willingly paid.”
Jessie B. Rittenhouse
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What if I told you that there is enough money on this planet for everyone to be a millionaire?
The only thing stopping you from having more money is you. It isn’t the economy, it isn’t your boss, it isn’t the rich, it’s you.
“The only thing stopping you is the bullshit story you tell yourself about why you can’t”.
There has never been a better time in the history of the world to make a lot of money, and to set yourself up for a life of freedom.
The only thing that is different between you, and the people who have financial prosperity?
The way you think.
Life will give you what you ask for – and it all starts with your thinking.
For me this really was the secret. I would’ve never have made the career changes, or habit changes needed if I didn’t think big.
I wouldn’t have thought it to be possible to earn what I used to make in a year in a single month.
Think bigger, and improve your money mindset.
Today’s Takeaway: Automatically Track Your Finances
Today I am recommending one tool to help you level up the way you manage your money.
Copilot is what I use to easily track my expenses, stay on top of my budget, and see my account balances at a glance.
It’s mostly automatic, and with a click of a button I can check my financial health or plan.
I got you a free trial if you want to try it:
Use my referral code 7U7F7Q to get 2 months free
PS. If you don’t, that’s fine. Please find some tool or plan moving forwards.
Today’s Thought: Is money the most important thing?
“Money isn’t everything, but everything needs money”
The ultimate paradox. We live in a physical world that depends on money for just about everything.
Whether you “care” about money or not, it’s a game you will play.
So, with that in mind:
Make a lot of money, help a lot of people, and free yourself while you still can.
Get really Fucking good. Play to win. Pay it forwards.
Today’s Tribute: Literally from rags to riches
Each week I am going to give a tribute to someone special:
- A member in the community
- Impactful people in my life
- One of my clients kicking ass
Today I want to introduce you to Shoney Ivens.
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Shoney is a friend, mentor, and inspiration to many people including me.
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Shoney is a friend, mentor, and inspiration to many people including me.
Growing up at times homeless, hungry, and hurting… to becoming a real life rags to riches story.
Shoney had every excuse to end up on drugs, repeating family cycles, or bitter towards the world.
Instead he:
- Developed one of the most admirable work ethics.
- Made it his mission to pay it forwards to others in need.
- Channeled his childhood pain, into a life of purpose and progression.
Shoney has taught me a lot about money, business, life, and human potential.
The biggest lesson I have learned from Shoney?
Our wounds make us who we are.
They can either be the fuel and provide us with the “training”, qualification, and inspiration for greatness. Like Shoney.
Or, they can be the story we tell as to why we can’t be the person we have the potential to be.
The only difference? Our choice.
I have been lucky enough to have him as a mentor, and leader through my real estate career.
If you are looking to change careers to real estate, or connect with like minded people let me know!
I’ll connect you to the man himself.
Top Video This Week:
Why it’s hard to focus (the trick I needed)
Okay, i’ll be honest i’ve been behind on editing… so this week I am featuring last weeks video 🙂
In this video we talk about why it’s so hard to focus nowadays, and the one trick that helped me.
I’ve dealt with ” ADHD “, and overwhelm from lack of focus, and when I heard what I am sharing – everything changed for me.
When you’re ready, here are 3 ways I can help you:
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With love, support, & gratitude,
Riley Conder
“It does not matter how slowly you go as long as you do not stop.” – Confucius
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