8 Things to Stop Doing If You Want to Be Rich

Do you want to be rich? Of course you do! C’mon, we all want to be rich.

And you deserve to be rich, you really do. You deserve wealth, health and happiness. But in order to get there, you’re going to need to stop doing a few things.

For starters, you need to stop paying full price for everything — pronto. And you need to stop keeping all your eggs in one basket, like a rookie. And you need to stop handing over so much of your hard-earned money to credit card companies and insurance companies.

Basically, you need to take back control and stop leaving your finances on autopilot.

In other words, if you want to be rich, you need to act more like rich people act.

We’ve got some smart and helpful ideas for how you can do this. Not all these tips may apply to you, but some of them will, so make sure to read them all.

1. Stop going it alone — seek out pro help

To properly manage your money, work with a professional — it’s totally worth it. If you’re not doing this, you could be missing out on some serious financial gains.

A Vanguard study found that, on average, a hypothetical $500,000 investment over 25 years would grow to $1.7 million if you manage it yourself, but more than $3.4 million if you work with a financial adviser. That’s twice as much!

If you’ve got at least $100,000 in investments, check out a free service called SmartAsset. You fill out a short questionnaire and instantly get matched with up to three vetted financial advisers in your area, all legally bound to work in your best interests.

Even if you don’t want help picking investments, an adviser can help lower your tax burden, create a comprehensive financial plan for you, maximize your Social Security, and serve as a second pair of eyes to make sure you’re on the right track.

Using SmartAsset only takes a few minutes, and in many cases you’ll be offered a free consultation.

Please carefully review the methodologies employed in the Vanguard white paper, “Putting a value on your value: Quantifying Vanguard Advisor’s Alpha.”

2. Stop keeping all your eggs in one basket

If a large part of your savings is in the stock market — as it should be — you’re well aware that what goes up can also go down. You can’t control the market, but you can hedge against uncertainty by having other forms of wealth.

One of the best ways to protect your savings is diversification. Keep money in different types of investments, ideally ones that go up when others are going down. For example, stocks tend to do poorly when inflation and interest rates are rising and there’s political turmoil brewing.

But there’s one investment that thrives in this scenario: gold.

Be careful who you deal with, though. Lots of companies in the gold business are pretty shady and won’t hesitate to sell you gold and silver at vastly inflated prices.

Goldco, on the other hand, has an A+ rating from the Better Business Bureau, an AAA rating from Business Consumer Alliance, and 4.8 to 5 stars on Trustpilot, TrustLink, Google reviews and ConsumerAffairs. They offer just about everything, from precious-metal IRAs to gold coins and gold bars.

You’ll even receive up to $10,000 in free silver on qualified purchases. If you’ve ever thought about investing in gold, why not take a look?

3. Stop paying 25% interest on credit cards

The average credit card interest rate these days is approaching 25% — a record high. Sounds like what a loan shark would charge, doesn’t it?

Never borrow recklessly, but when it’s time, do it right. Take advantage of much lower rates by borrowing against your home. Use that low-interest loan to fix up your house, to pay off high-interest debt or for any other purpose (besides financing a lifestyle you can’t afford).

Qualify for a rate of 6%, and you’ll be able to borrow $25,000 for a monthly payment of only $150. That’s a fraction of what credit cards charge, and will literally save you thousands of dollars over the life of the loan.

How do you shop for the best deal? Simple: Head to a loan shopping site like Quicken Loans. They’ve eliminated most of the hoops you had to jump through in the past, so it only takes a couple of minutes to see how much you could get.

4. Stop refusing to think ahead

Here’s hoping your retirement years are active, healthy and vibrant and that you’re able to function as you always have, right up to the time you shuffle off this mortal coil.

But don’t bet on it. According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 7 in 10 people who turn 65 today will probably need some kind of long-term care.

“But won’t Medicare take care of all that?” Nope. Medicare doesn’t cover long-term custodial care — and paying for it out of pocket could take a huge chunk of your retirement savings. That, plus inflation, could mean near or total depletion of your nest egg.

Without long-term care insurance, your options aren’t great: running through savings, borrowing money, burdening your family with your care, and possibly losing independence because you can’t live on your own.

One place to find long-term care insurance is GoldenCare (Unless you live in the four states where GoldenCare doesn’t operate: Alaska, Florida, Hawaii and Washington.)

At least check it out and see if it’s a fit. Because planning now could mean a more secure tomorrow.

5. Stop letting your debt spiral out of control

Worrying about debt is probably the worst way you can spend your time, and paying interest and late fees is the worst way you can spend your money.

If you’ve got a problem, the sooner you deal with it, the better.

National Debt Relief is one of the most respected providers of debt relief in the U.S.

They’ve helped more than 500,000 people, are A+ rated by the Better Business Bureau and also are top-rated by Top Consumer Reviews, Top Ten Reviews, ConsumersAdvocate.org and ConsumerAffairs.

You simply fill out a form on the company website, then a debt coach will call you to learn more about your situation. If they can help you, they’ll set you up with an affordable plan that works for you — and give you an estimate of when you can expect to be debt-free. There’s no upfront fee and no obligation to get started.

National Debt Relief can help you with almost any unsecured debt, like credit cards, personal loans, medical bills, repossessions … even some student loan debt. Ready to start a new, happier chapter of your life?

6. Stop paying full price for home repairs

Home repairs aren’t cheap. Whether it’s a leaky roof or a broken appliance, your home can quickly become a nightmare and cost you hundreds or even thousands of dollars to keep up.

But you don’t have to worry. Luckily, with a home warranty company called American Home Shield, you can safeguard yourself against giant repair bills. From home appliances to electrical, plumbing, heating and cooling systems, it can all be protected.

AHS protects your stuff no matter the age. Their plans cover up to 23 appliances and systems, and if they can’t repair it, they’ll replace it. That’s why American Home Shield is America’s top home warranty company with more than 17,000 contractors and 2 million members.

All over America, homeowners are choosing AHS for the savings, service and peace of mind that it delivers.

7. Stop paying an extra $610 for car insurance

If you’re like most Americans, you’re probably paying too much for car insurance. But shopping around for a better deal is such a hassle.

Well, it used to be.

Now you can just check out Provide Insurance, the largest online marketplace for insurance in the U.S. Provide Insurance lets you compare quotes from more than 175 different carriers in minutes.

All you have to do is answer a few questions about yourself and your driving history. Then Provide will show you the best options for your needs and budget.

You could save up to $610 a year on car insurance by using Provide Insurance. That’s money you could use for other things, like investing, saving or paying off debt.

Don’t let your current insurer overcharge you. Try Provide Insurance today and see how much you can save on car insurance.

8. Stop paying full price for retail purchases

Let’s face it, shopping online is more convenient than going to a store. Plus, you’re more likely to find a deal, promotion or coupon code and quickly cross-reference prices at several different retailers to save money.

Want to make that process even easier? Try Capital One Shopping. This handy-dandy tool alerts you when a deal on an item you’re buying is available. Talk about effortless. All you have to do is add it as a browser extension, and it’ll search the internet for coupon codes to apply during checkout.

That’s not all. It also compares prices across the internet and will notify you when the item you’re purchasing is cheaper elsewhere. It’s free, and you don’t need to be a Capital One customer to use it. It’s just a friendly tool trying to save you money online. Find better bargains now.

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