10 Financial Mistakes Rich People Never Make

By Daniel Ally, entrepreneur.com,
Self-Made Millionaire & Business Expert
I hear people giving financial advice all the time. Most of them aren't rich.
Those who are rich would disagree with what many charlatans preach. The other day, I came across an article proclaiming, "Skip your lunch, don't buy expensive coffee, cut your hair less often." This is a horrendous way to live your life and it
promotes poverty. It's smart to be thrifty, but you don't want to be cheap. You should never do anything that will deprive you from your joy.
I promote prosperity--and taking away these simple pleasures will not make you rich. It will drive you to be more frustrated from these unrealistic disciplines. Most of these hypocrites who profess these antics haven't even made it financially. They just sit at a keyboard in a delusional manner, waiting for a payday that often never happens.
Financial advice is freely given by most people, but most of it is horrible. Conversely, the words you are currently reading are written by someone who is a self-made millionaire. Therefore, watch whom you learn from, for it is in your best interest (pun intended).
If you're naturally a hard worker with a great career and have been diligent in all your affairs, you can have prosperity now. However, you might be asking, "Why haven't I made it yet?" The answer to this question is in the way you think, feel, and act toward your money. Making better choices with your money can turn your life around.
There are certain financial mistakes that rich people never make. The journey in becoming rich will require you to make a few mental changes in your behaviors. Once you make these adjustments, you will begin to see the progress as your create more positive results in your life. Acquiring wealth is a great goal, but who you become in the process is even more worthwhile.
Here are 10 financial mistakes rich people never make:

1. Not Investing in Yourself

America's first millionaire, Benjamin Franklin, was known for saying, "An investment in yourself pays the best interest." Often, people depend on their employers to buy them books, send them to seminars, or provide them with coaching. However, you must take your education into your own hands if you want to prosper. Invest in yourself.

2. Over-Entertainment

Yesterday, I popped into a local Dave and Buster's to see the grand opening. It was crowded with hundreds of young adults (ages 21-35) who were wasting precious time and money. Most people spend 30-50 percent of their paychecks on entertainment, while they temporarily escape the realities of life. Instead, rich people use that time and money to fund their dreams.

3. Buying on Credit

Many people purchase objects they can't afford with money they don't have to impress people they don't like. This tragedy decimates many people, leaving them with a hopeless feeling when they repay their high-interest loans. If a person hopes to become rich, they will use their credit cards for growing and promoting their business, not funding personal expenditures.

4. Hiding From Your Spouse

Millions of married couples don't talk about money. It makes them uncomfortable, which sometimes leads to arguments. However, you cannot get rich unless you disclose your financial precepts with your spouse. Money is only multiplied when love is in the mix and both members of the household have a clear understanding about their finances.

5. Mortgaging a Home

Some "rich" people mortgage their homes, but they aren't really rich. Mortgaging your home leads to an endless battle of re-financing, bill-paying, and inflation. When you mortgage a home, you're likely to pay twice as much asthe original price! Rich people rent until they can buy their house with straight cash, like I did.

6. Traditional Retirements

Our retirement system is a joke that must be evaded by those who want to become rich. If you're depending on mutual funds, 401(k), and certain life-insurance policies, you'll do better boarding the Titanic. Plus, if you're saving money to enjoy it for your sixties, that's like saving up sex for retirement! Instead, build your fortune while you are young.

7. Buying Inferior Goods

Price shoppers and coupon clippers will hate this, but when you buy shoddy goods, you get shoddy results. If you live by the price, you die by the price. Instead of buying what is "cheap," buy the best goods that are available. Rich people know that buying a $40 shirt which will last for four years is better than buying a $10 shirt that must be replaced every year.

8. Lack of Enjoyment

Consumerism is funny. During 50 weeks at work, people think about vacations and when they finally get their two weeks, they only think about work. The truth about becoming rich is that you must enjoy the money that you already have, whether it's $10 or $100. Your money will only expand if you appreciate it and think about how you can enjoy it more. You'll always get more of what you enjoy.

9. Not Saving

Most people blow their money on miscellaneous goods. When they see 'X' amount in their bank account, they automatically think of what they "need" and purchase it immediately. However, this impulsive behavior must be eliminated. Rich people save at least 10 percent of what they earn and rarely take out personal loans for themselves, even if they think they need it. Save.

10. Working For Money

The majority of people in this world work for money, but rich people let money work for them. They know that their money will be a byproduct of the service that they render to the marketplace. Rich people also acknowledge the fact that their material wealth is the sum total of their entire contribution to society. That's why they never work for money.
Making these mental shifts can dramatically alter your life. When you start changing your financial habits and avoiding these mistakes, you will be on your path to be rich. Remember, it's not what you acquire that makes you rich, but who you become in the journey. And of course, I hope to be your neighbor one day; maybe I'll invite you to my home!