Prologue

I am writing this book from a Biblical perspective. Not in the sense that I am preaching to you, but rather giving credit where credit is due. I feel that the thoughts I have had towards the subject of wisdom are not my own. The wisest man on earth by far was King Solomon spoken of in the Bible. I reference many of his sayings because of the influence they have had on me. These Biblical principles are sound and they work for everyone every time 100% of the time. When I say a Biblical perspective I don't mean sow a seed and get rich quick like so many televangelists preach. God is not a pop/soda machine waiting for your money so you can press a button and get an instant blessing. This is not to say that giving your money to righteous causes is not not beneficial or scriptural. I focus more on how to obtain money that will allow one to give away even more money than one normally would. This way you can be more of a blessing and be more in the flow. Giving away your money is a good thing to do because of these scriptures:

Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal. But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal. For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also (Matthew 6:19-21).

and cross referenced with this one:

Now when Jesus heard these things, he said unto him, Yet lackest thou one thing: sell all that thou hast, and distribute unto the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, follow me (Luke 18:22).

However, there is nothing wrong with nice things. But we must keep the correct perspective. Here is why:

“The light of the body is the eye: if therefore thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of light. But if thine eye be evil, thy whole body shall be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in thee be darkness, how great is that darkness! No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon” (Matthew 6:22-24).

The purpose of an eye is to see with. I see this as perspective. Perspective means a true understanding of the relative importance of things; an overall point of view that includes morality or a particular attitude or way of regarding something. When we have a righteous perspective or viewpoint then we will receive healthy results (Proverbs 3). If our perspective is one that is set on pride and self serving motives then we will receive ruin (Proverbs 11:24, 18:12). So what is the correct perspective? This can be summed up by saying love God and love each other. If you love God then keep his commandments (Mark 12:30-31, John 14:15, 2 Cor 5:17, 1 Cor 2:16). In other words do the right thing.

Do it now thank me later :-)

I decided to write this book after many life experiences and seeing how others related with me. What I mean is this: I don't want to work until I am 65. Maybe I want to retire at 35 maybe 40. Does this sound extreme? Or Weird? If you want extreme results you have to make extreme decisions. Regardless of your age one can get closer or even obtain financial independence. However the book is geared towards young people – hence the title “Do it now, Thank me later :-)”

Many people talk about sacrificing when they mention college and getting a good degree. What do I mean? Like when people make statements such as, “you can't go out partying all weekend and expect to maintain good grades to get into medical school”. Or people may talk about working and going to school at the same time. Which may mean giving up the fun weekends and hitting the time card at work. So people sacrifice. The problem is that once these people get out into the work force making good money they begin to buy things they don't need with money they don't yet have i.e. credit cards, loans, etc.... And the same goes for those that may not go to college. It is still very easy to get into credit card debt and other types of loans. The solution is simple. Don't go into debt to start with! You see once one gets out of college the sacrificing shouldn't stop. For example, instead of buying a new vehicle to impress others one can keep the same car or buy a low mileage used car. One may go into debt but it won't be as much debt. He that loveth pleasure shall be a poor man (Proverbs 21:17).

I know I know.... You don't want to sacrifice! You see that's the beauty of this “program” if you can call it that. I like to think of it as like a mix of different ideas while constantly keeping your mind and options open to new ideas. What do I mean? You don't always have to sacrifice! What if said you could keep many of the luxuries you have AND have extra money in your pocket at the same time? Would you be interested in learning more? Then read more now! And thank me later LOL.

You see there is a method to this madness. It really all starts with one word. Wisdom. What is wisdom? Wisdom in a nutshell is making good decisions. These decisions all depend on one's perspective (what is “good” exactly?). Your perspective will greatly alter your decision making skills because it will help drive you where you want to go. By perspective I mean a true understanding of the relative importance of things or a particular attitude towards regarding something. By things I mean a viewpoint on life and what is important. For example, a vision or goal of where you want to go or be in life and when you want to retire, etc... Another example would be determining if it is better to sacrifice some spending now to retire earlier or spend now and retire later. Much of this depends on the person. Some may not care to work until 65 or later while some may want to retire before 40 or younger. And within this mix some may think of retirement as a endless vacation and spending money. While others may think of it as living life on your terms by staying busy working but only if they want to and at the job they want. Now, mix in morals and ethics with all of this as well. Nonetheless, it all comes down to the outcome – end result; because that is all that really matters. So by gaining a viewpoint on all these things this will influence the way you see the world and your value system. This will then become your perception.

So how does one gain the best perspective? What do you mean by best? It all depends on the outcome that you want. Overall however to have a good perspective you also need good morals. Good morals provides one with a good work ethic and leads to the best overall outcomes/returns. For example, if you have a good moral compass then you know that ripping someone off on a business deal is a bad decision. It may end up coming back to bite you down the road so to speak. Although if one decides to be fair and treat the customer right then this may spread as free word of mouth advertising. So wisdom in a nutshell is making good decisions while maintaining a good moral perspective. Anything we do requires us to make decisions. From what we put on in the morning to what we eat, watch on tv, what we drive and even how fast we drive. If we make bad choices/decisions then we get bad results. It's as simple as that. Good decisions equals a good life and bad decisions equal a stressful/bad life. The beginning of wisdom is the fear of the Lord. The fear of the Lord is an action. It is a decision. It is the foundation of wisdom. So what is the fear of the Lord? It starts with hating evil; pride and arrogance (Proverbs 9:10, Psalm 111:10, Proverbs 8:13). I want to warn you the only way this program will work is if you let go of your pride and arrogant ego. And how does one do this? By loving God and each other. To love God keep the commandments (Mark 12:30-31, John 14:15). So do the right thing. Don't rip people off. Don't try to lie, cheat, and steal to get ahead. Don't be prideful. However, some decisions are neutral and don't have morality attached to them. Like picking a favorite color or the style of shoes, etc...

Nonetheless, back to perspective. How does doing the right thing get you ahead in life? Don't most people get ahead by lying, cheating, or stealing or having been born rich? Some do yes. But, some people get ahead by actually doing the right thing. For example, there was a man who ran a soap and lotion business out of his home. One of his customers came down with cancer and had to start taking chemotherapy. His lotion was the only thing that really helped her skin because of the chemo, however she could not longer afford it due to the cost of medication and treatments. When the owner found out he sent several cases of the lotion to the lady free of charge. His business took a small hit. But when the community found out what had happened it ended up being the best money he had ever spent because of the word of mouth advertising he received. As a result, his sales was off the charts!

And hard work works regardless of what people may say! Don't believe me? Think about Americans most expensive purchase: a home. If one was to own land and buy the materials to build a home you would be very surprised at the cost. It is next to nothing compared to what the home will actually be worth once it is built. The difference is in the cost of labor to construct the home. If one was to work hard in the sense of actually building a home imagine the savings one would accumulate! Hard work does pay off! Work hard because hard work beats talent when talent doesn't work hard!!

You see most people are focused on making more money. Why? To pay for all the items they didn't need with the money they didn't have at the time of purchase ie. Credit cards. Another reason is pride/ego. One may want to be flashy and show off the big brand new truck or car they just purchased. Or expensive brand name clothing, etc.. There are many more examples but to have all these flashy items one must make more money to keep up with the demands of the consumerism. There is nothing wrong with having nice things. However, the difference in how this is viewed in that did one pay for the item in cash? Or pretty much sign over their life in terms of debt to get the car, house, credit cards, etc... which in the end paying double if not triple for the items purchased? Yes sometimes you have to use credit in life. But the bottom line is that one must use credit wisely. If you don't you will be drowning in debt. Nonetheless, what is the point of having all these expensive luxuries? Is it because you truly need them and without them you may not survive? Or is perhaps most of the luxurious desires are those born out of wanting to impress others? Perhaps prideful in some ways? Like I said before, there isn't anything wrong with nice things, credit can be used wisely, but for one to make the best decisions one must take on a mindset or perspective of looking at the end result – ie getting the job done the most efficient way while not caring what others may think of you. This all boils down to letting go of your prideful ego. If you can learn how to do that then you can retire much more sooner.

Ahhh consumerism.. If one was to stop and notice nature in the forest you will see that there are what scientists call consumers and producers. Producers are green plants and they have the ability to make their own food. Consumers on the other hand are animals that eat the producers and most importantly they can't make their own food. They are constantly dependent on the “boss man” so to speak. This is what happens to humans. For example, one buys a brand new car, lots of gadgets on a credit card, eats out constantly, etc.. As a result, they are in an endless cycle of work/pay work/pay never getting ahead. The solution is simple become more like a producer! This is the key that unlocks it all. Self reliance and hard work. Anything worth doing doesn't come easy. So the solution is not so much in making more money, but rather learning how to keep more of the money that you make!!

Sometimes this requires sacrificing and sometimes it does not. It all depends on the situation. To get to the solution of the situation requires careful analysis and thought. This is where wisdom comes into play. Like I said earlier wisdom in a nutshell is the art of making good decisions with the proper perspective. The way to solve problems is to think. One forms an opinion on the subject at hand with the information available. This then becomes the answer to the decision – whether it be a good decision or a bad decision. So how does one think well enough to make the best decisions? This all hinges on one thing: knowledge. The more knowledge one has the more informed the person is on making the best decision. Therefore to get to the best decision at hand one must decide what outcome they want for the decision (perspective) then educate themselves as much as possible about the subject matter that concerns the decision. For example, lets say you are in the market for a new car. One perspective would be to get a new car because you will have less mechanical problems. Plus of course they look much more stylish. Or Another perspective may be to get a used car because they are cheaper. They are only used as transportation to and from work. No need to be flashy to get to work. So what would be the best decision to make? Well.. this depends on one's outcome or overall goal in mind – perspective if you will. Do you want to work until you are 65 or older? Do you want to impress people so bad that you end up working until you are 65 or older? What is really important to you? Look at the end result of what you want in life. Not at this moment but down the road. What do you want?

This is an important question to ask because to find out where you are going you need to find out where you want to be! Where do you want to be down the road of 15, 20, 25 years or more? Look at the end result and think about it. Now, after you found out where you want to be start working backwards. In other words, what steps did you take to end up there? That is your game plan. Follow those steps. If you don't know what the steps are then begin to think on how to solve the problem of getting where you want without knowing how to get there. This is what thinking is all about. Solving problems.

Some people would refer to thinking as memorizing facts and then recalling them later. But, thinking goes much deeper than that. Consider the question I asked, "What exactly is thinking? - think about it for a second".

Thinking

Thinking is nothing more than solving problems. That's it. It's trying to find a solution to a problem. This can only be done when you have enough information at hand to come to a conclusion about the problem. Remember that knowledge is power. If you don't have the information at hand then pose the question to Google to find out. Learn how to use Google as a resource to look for good sources versus bad sources of information. This is a learned skill. Don't just click on the top link and give it a quick read. Get really versed in what you should be looking for before you come to a conclusion.

Some people seek out the advice of others. But be aware that some advice can be damaging. Let me give you an example. Let's say that you are wanting to get out of debt and you ask someone for their advice. Before you consider asking them look at their situation. Are they in debt themselves? If so would their advice really be that helpful? Seek out those that have already done what you want to do. They are the ones to give the best advice. This is the difference in looking at good quality sources of information versus bad sources. And this comes down to thinking - you are problem solving and seeking wise council for what you want to do (Proverbs 1:5).

To be able to problem solve effectively you must have all the information at hand you need while obtaining the best information you can (good sources vs. bad sources). Knowledge is the building blocks – part of the foundation for wisdom. Without it you are throwing darts in a dark room. Good look on hitting the target – i.e. good luck on making the best decisions.

Nonetheless, when you find your perspective of retiring is it living like a king going on endless vacations, buying lots of expensive cars, boats, etc... in other words, spending money? Or do you have a perspective of retiring where you live day to day comfortably able to garden and get around and do what you want? Perhaps you have a side job from something that you enjoy as a hobby. And since it's not something serious you work when you want and how much you want. What I am trying to say here is that it is a myth that you need a million dollars to retire. Yes you may need that much if all you plan on doing is spending money in your old age. You see when you get a handle on a different perspective of retiring it will be much easier to see why you really don't need a million dollars to retire. And this is what excites me and hopefully you as well! Look at it like this: everyone makes a certain amount of money. Some people live on 100k a year while others make due on just 25k a year. Regardless, each person lives on what they make therefore each retirement savings will be different. Nonetheless, if you learn how to save 50% of what you make regardless of what you make then you can retire in as little as 17 years. If you can save 80% of what you make you will be able to retire in as little as 5.6 years. So it's not so much about making more money as it is about saving your money!! A cool little calculator can be found at: https://networthify.com/calculator/earlyretirement

Cars

Keep in mind there is nothing wrong with having nice things but if you want to retire before you are 40 then you may have to sacrifice looking cool in a brand new car. This is not to say you cannot have a nice car or even a car at all. Ok you say I get it. Don't get a new car get a used car that sounds too simple. Well hold on a minute I'm not done yet. There is still a decision to be made – let's say you decide to buy a used car – but what kind? You see here is where the decision is really made. Are you going to get the best looking sports car with 350K miles? Or are you going to purchase a honda civic with low miles and good on gas? One may look cooler than the other yes, but what is the end result of a car? Getting from point A to point B while trying to be cool right? You see all of what we are talking about here is perspective. Do you want to sacrifice more money on being cool or do you want to sacrifice being cool to save more money? The end result is that the car will get you from home to work either way. Nonetheless the decision still hasn't been made yet. Like I said earlier the more knowledge one has the more informed the person will be at making the best decision. So here is some knowledge about cars that you need to know before making a purchase:

1. Cars lose value over time. They are known as a depreciating asset. Cars are not investments. Once the signature is on the paper the car is considered used even when bought brand new. Regardless if it has 5 miles of 50 miles. The value of the car instantly drops 2k or maybe more the instant it is sold (as brand new).

2. Cars are used for transportation. From point A to point B – mostly home to work.

3. Cars require maintenance. That means they love to eat money. Some more than others. This would require further study (knowledge).

4. If one finances a car the loan originator may require you to carry full coverage insurance. This is an added cost that you may not see yet. And the costs will vary between vehicles.

5. If you purchase a new vehicle add in the extra costs of washing and waxing the car along with the taxing emotional stress that goes along with worry of scratches and nicks.

6. Some car brands hold their value more than others. There is a reason for this – quality. Again further study (knowledge) is required on this topic.

7. Cars get better gas mileage than trucks. And the cost for tires is much cheaper for cars than trucks.

Let's get one thing straight: Cars are not investments they are depreciating assets - which means they lose value over time. For example, when someone buys a brand new car as soon as they sign the papers and drive off the lot they lose up to 2k dollars or more instantly!

Furthermore, cars require maintenance like oil changes, air filters, plugs and wires etc.. Also, the more expensive of a car the more your insurance cost will be. And if you have a nice new car you will also be spending money on it by trying to keep it clean all the time. This also cost more money. Some of the newer cars require oil changes that cost quite a bit more than the older vehicles.

So what is one to do? Well, the wise choice would be to find a good USED car. Used cars cost less and you can pay it off much quicker than a brand new one. If you get really ambitious and want to make the best most WISE decision get a much older vehicle that you don't care if it gets dings and dents. Who cares if it gets washed (less money spent)? Besides, don't let a car define who you are. Until you have that car paid off the car owns you anyhow.

One thing to keep in mind about brand new cars and their warranties is that they HAVE to be maintained or they will not honor its warranty. I once had a 2002 Hyundai Accent that I bought brand new - big mistake. Although it had a 100k mile warranty they didn't tell me that I had to keep records in order for the warranty to remain intact. At 76k miles the transmission went out 9.5 hours away from my home. It was a nightmare dealing with the dealership. They wanted me to fax all my records to them in order for them to fix it. Luckily I did have some of the records. But, the cost of getting the maintenance done is NOT CHEAP! Keep that in mind. Dealerships love to charge an arm and a leg for what they do.

Making good decisions comes down to being informed. Don't have "tunnel vision" by thinking only about the monthly payment. The only way to make a good decision on a vehicle is to research everything you can about it. How reliable it is, the insurance cost, maintenance cost, etc... Then and only then can you be wise in what you purchase.

After the Hyundai bit the dust I wised up and bought a 95 Toyota Corolla. It had hail damage so I got a really good deal with low miles. I have yet to wash it. It runs great and my insurance is only 26 dollars a month. It gets me to work and back and that's all that matters. Plus it's a gas saver with very low maintenance.

Toyota's have the reputation of being great cars. This is why they hold their value much better than other vehicles. Yes they are more, but most of the time in life you get what you pay for.

Sometimes the best choices aren't the most popular ones. But, to become wise it pays to have an anti-consumerism mindset. My car doesn't define who I am. And the coolest part of all is that it is paid for!

I can hear the sighing … “but I don't want to drive up a beat up car..” Well.. I am not saying buy the cheapest rust bucket you can find. Use knowledge and study up on different brands of cars and weigh out your options. You can get a good deal on a used car that can save you in maintenance costs and gas. The beauty behind this logic is that once you have a car paid off your transportation to work gets much cheaper. This also allows you the option to sell it or trade it in later; preferably buying another car in cash. However, keep in mind that any car you buy will drop in value later on. Think of cars to be as only means to an end. Getting you from point A to point B. Take on this perspective alone and you make a better choice in a car. Remember the goal is not making more money but rather learning how to keep more of the money you make!!

You may be thinking ok so I save a little bit of money. It's not enough to really make a difference. Well,  here's the thing: You don't want to work until you are 65 or older right? Then keep reading. Lets go back to what I said earlier if you could keep most of the luxuries you have AND still have extra money in your pocket – would you be interested? This is what I like to call Financial Bypassing. Think of it like this: You are on the road to retirement and it seems endless. Some parts of it seem to be impassable unless you happen to be rich and own a 4 wheel drive to get up the big hills. Sometimes things go wrong on this road and you have to turn around and make a u-turn completely slowing you down. Some of these hills and bumps along the way are nothing more than bills. A car payment, house payment, followed by cell phone, cable/satellite, internet, home phone, food, entertainment; the list goes on and on (oh and don't forget credit cards). So yeah I don't want to give up a lot of these items. What if along this road to retirement I knew a shortcut that went through the woods? Maybe I do. Follow along.

Financial Bypassing:

I'm sure you have heard the saying “a penny saved is a penny earned”. This saying is so overlooked but it is so correct. If you keep most of the luxuries in life while keeping most of the money in your pocket that you would have spent on the luxury items you either A. stole, B. got a raise, or C. Financially Bypassed the system. But before we continue look at option C. Financially bypassed the system. What makes this interesting is that it is akin to earning money. It's almost like you got a raise because all the conditions were the same except you didn't work more hours.

So how can one straighten out the bumps in the road above? Let's start with laundry soap. An average family of 4 spends about 140.00 a year on laundry soap. If one were to learn how to make their own soap they could save up to a year. It costs on the average 13.00 or so for the first batch of soap that one will make (10 gallons of it!). After that you just need to buy bars of soap for around a 1.00 a piece. Of course after several batches more ingredients will need to be purchased but it will still be cheaper than the original purchase of 13.00.

Next up is a car. And we have already went over that. A used car is best. Once it is paid off the rest of the money you would have spent on transportation is money in the bank. Boom! Another raise so to speak without having to work more hours.

Food is a biggie. It is one major cost in the household. One way one could bypass food costs is to grow your own food. It's much easier than you think. But remember anything worth doing doesn't come easy. I suggest growingyourgreens.com as a website to learn how to start growing your own food organically.

Next up is the cable/satellite bill. I don't know about you but I don't find much to watch on tv that is actually worth watching. And what I do there are only a few channels that I enjoy. Most of what I watch is available on Netflix. Other people may use Amazon Prime, Hulu, etc.. So what is the solution? Cancel the cable/satellite and keep the internet only. That way you still have the entertainment that you watch. What about local programming? How about an antenna I may add? There are many channels that come in crystal clear for free. I live about 45 minutes to a bigger city and I get 15 channels in crystal clear format.

Many people enjoy having a home phone. On the average a phone bill can be 20.00 a month. That is 240.00 a year. So how am I going to bypass having a phone? I get a device called the OBi100 VoIP Telephone Adapter. It connects directly to my internet router and through that I used what is called Google Voice for phone service. I have a real handheld cordless phone that works with it. I get free local and long distance calls in the US. I also can connect the number (which is a local number by the way) to my cell phone to receive voicemails and text messages. To use with my cell phone I must have wifi enabled or a data plan. So basically it works just a like a landline phone. The difference is in the 911  service plan. You will want to know the number to the police department or use your cell phone in emergencies.

That brings us to cell phones. How am I going to bypass that? Well.. I still have a cell phone. I just don't pay more than 12.00 a month for service (page plus). I get 250 texts and 250 minutes with 10mb of data a month. When I am in a wifi connected area I can text with google voice. And in emergencies I will use my cell phone to make calls. More and more businesses are starting to offer free wifi. So why not take advantage of it? I know it is sacrificing a little bit, but when you think about it most of the time people who use apps such as Facebook and Twitter require a data plan or wifi connection. So do you really need to be using apps like this while going down the road driving? Why not wait till you get to an area that has Wifi?

Now to use the Google voice home phone and Netflix to bypass the phone and entertainment you will need internet. But, internet alone will be much cheaper than the “bundle” the company will offer you.

Over the course of a year for a family of four one could expect to save around 2,032 a year. About 169 dollars a month in savings (earnings – you bypassed didn't have to work more hours). In 18 years that is 36,576 dollars. That sounds like a good start to a child's education if you ask me! And if you follow this plan you really didn't sacrifice that much.

Here is the breakdown:

Housing

Now the next big bump in the road or should I say mountain is housing. Mortgages are the biggest rip offs in banking history. What do I mean by this? Exactly what I just said. Why? Most people have what I call "tunnel vision" they are only looking at one thing: the monthly payment. What they aren't looking at is the final cost of the house - minus the upgrades and maintenance cost of the house.

Let's say that a couple decides to make a purchase on a house. The house costs 140,000 dollars. They pay 20% down - 28,000. This brings the mortgage to 112,00. But then you will also have to add in the closing cost of around 3,500 (sometimes the seller agrees to pay). Nonetheless, lets say they have a mortgage of 112,00. They finance the house for 30 years at 4.25%. The monthly payment comes out to be 550.97 a month. Great they say!! We can afford that together. At the end of the 30 years they end up paying drum roll please!!

86,350.16 dollars in INTEREST ONLY!!! The total cost of the house comes to: 226,350.16!! Do you see this is why banks have the biggest buildings in town?! If you live in a home for 30 years you can bet that there will be some types of maintenance costs or repairs. So add that to the list of total cost as well. And, don't forget house insurance and property tax!

So after 30 years do you think the house will be worth that?? Was that really such a great deal? If you don't believe me on this just visit this link put in your info and click on the show/recalculate amortization table button: http://www.bankrate.com/calculators/mortgages/mortgage-calculator.aspx

Even with a 15 year term the cost of the house comes to 39,659.33 total interest and monthly payment of 842.55 a month. Total cost of home after 15 years: 179,659.33. This is much less but nonetheless quite an amount you are paying in interest.

Keep in mind if you do not pay the 20% down you may be required to pay mortgage insurance. This is an added monthly cost that doesn't go towards interest or principle! And guess what? If you start skipping payments after paying in say 15 years on a 30 year loan your house is gone. That's right foreclosed. The bank keeps your money and the house!!!

Do you see why this is such a rip off now??? So what is the solution then? Well, for one don't purchase more of a home than you can afford. And two don't have "tunnel vision" by looking at the monthly payment.

A couple that doesn't plan on having children would benefit more from a one bedroom house or even an efficiency home. I know that sounds unpopular considering most people want a 3-4 bedroom house or larger. But you have to get out of the consumer mindset. You will be heating extra unused space and have to pay more on property tax as well. Also, consider maintaining the home - like the roof, gutters; heating and cooling costs, insurance etc.. It all adds up!! Think about it. Sometimes wise decisions aren't always the most popular ones to make.

An alternative to a mortgage would be to rent a home or apartment. By doing this you will be able to save your money to have a huge down payment on a home or more importantly pay cash for a house. I know that sounds crazy. But it is possible. Try to find a cheap place to rent to save more money. It can be tempting to rent at the “coolest” apartments in town but end up being the most expensive.

So what type of mortgage will make sense? One of the best options is to find a foreclosed home that is still in decent shape. Yeah it may not be the best at the moment in time but who says living there is set in stone? The less debt you have the more options it will give you. For example, let's say a couple buys a foreclosure home fixes it up and lives in it until it is paid for. The smaller it is the better. They will have less property tax, less insurance costs, less heating and cooling costs, and less maintenance. This adds up to more money in their pocket (savings) or a quicker way to pay it off. After it is paid off or almost paid off depending on the payment you could move into something more of what you desire and rent out the home for extra income. Or you could sell it. This way you will be building wealth over the long run. And before you know it you will be financially independent. Overtime, your peers will still be paying that 30 year mortgage with nothing much to show for it. You however may have several homes that are paid for AND they are giving you a return on your investment. This means you can retire much more early and have the freedom that you want. Remember good decisions lead to a good life!

What about building a home? Yes this can work too. Remember to think carefully about what type of house to build and how big etc... There is a lot of thinking involved in this. And decisions have their outcomes large or small. In some instances building a house may be better than purchasing one. Other times it may make more sense to buy a house because the square footage is cheaper than building one. However, what you will want to do is be the contractor yourself if you choose to build. The first step in doing this is acquiring land and paying it off. Once is is paid off you will then want to save up enough money to build the shell of the house. By shell I mean the exterior including roof, siding, gutters, doors and windows, on a foundation with steps/porches finished. However, the interior of the house it is yet to be finished. Insulation, drywall, electrical, plumbing, cabinetry, flooring, trim, interior doors, showers, and toilets need to be installed. Once you get the shell erected you can then finish it on your own leisure/time frame schedule. Learning new skills can be valuable in the future for subcontracting out yourself to make extra income. Nonetheless, by becoming the contractor you will save quite a bit of money and if you do most of the work yourself (interior) you will also save a substantial amount of money. It's actually easier than you think. For more info see http://www.byoh.com because there is a lot to learn!

3 Enemies to Wisdom:

There are 3 enemies to wisdom. The first is pride. God hates pride and arrogance (Proverbs 8:13). The reason why pride is an enemy to wisdom is that it blinds you to the best outcome. In other words, because of pride one may end up making decisions that don't benefit oneself the best in the long run. Say for example that ones buys brand name clothing because of the brand name and a brand new car because one wanted it brand new and all of this was bought on credit. It may seem cool in the present and it may wow some people but what are the long term results? After the new car smell wears off and the clothes get warn in the bills begin to come in. That is not so cool. Especially after you look at the price you really paid for the items when you add in the interest from the credit cards or other loans. Besides, when you have a line of credit it is easy to buy things on emotions for which you don't need with money you don't yet have. As a result, this will rob oneself of money that one could have been accumulating while at the same time puts oneself in a debtors prison. You no longer own the items you bought, they own you! So the typical response is, “I need to make more money”. Now, lets take someone who has let go of a prideful ego and says, “who cares if I buy clothes based more on style and price (cheaper) than brand? And, yes I may have a used vehicle but it is still nice and besides it's paid for. I like to have the option to sell it at any time including the idea of having cash in the bank to do whatever I want with such as taking a great vacation somewhere”. Now, after looking at these examples can you see how a prideful ego got in the way of the best outcome? The prideful keep complaining how they can't pay their bills and they need more money. While the wise are trucking along just fine. Remember the old adage, “A fool and his money are soon parted”. Remember it's not about making more money but rather learning how to keep more of the money you make.  Some people say, “the rich don't know what it means to struggle!” My response is why don't you just say, “you don't know what it is like to make bad decisions and live with the consequences?”. You see everything that happens in life is much more about ones personal decisions they make more than fate. At what point do we look in the mirror and point the finger at ourselves? We are the captain of our ship. We decide in which way it goes. The wind still blows (troubles in life) but we still have to decide (types of decisions we make will have certain outcomes). Have you ever thought about why it is that the rich are getting richer while the poor are getting poorer? Does it have anything to do with decisions? Yes! Absolutely! You see some rich people are not rich by accident. And some poor people are not poor by accident. So what separates the two? Habits and habits are their decisions. For example, most poor people smoke, drink, or play the lottery. These types of habits are expenses and can lead to excess. Since poor people don't have any money they aren't investing any of it so there are no savings. The rich on the other hand have the habit of saving their money. And the savings they choose are in the form of investments such as stocks, bonds, mutual funds, etc... These investments will end up making them even more money! They look at the lottery as something only ignorant people do. Why? Because the house always wins. You have an extremely small chance of getting your money back plus some. However, if one was to take the money that could have been spent on a lottery ticket and invested it over time in a mutual fund or savings account then there would have been a much much more return on the investment. Now, yes there are exceptions to every rule. But, however, on the whole you will see that there are some habits the rich have in common as well as the poor have in common with each other. Nonetheless, the main point is that some people are rich and poor because of decisions they make whether they be big or small. Every decision has an outcome.

The wise perspective on credit is this: a line of credit is nothing more than a rope to hang yourself with. Therefore, it is always best to save money over time and pay for whatever item you need in cash. This will give you a better perspective with how much time you have to put into something to purchase what you need or want. Ultimately this will prevent frivolous purchases. Sometimes the best decisions in life aren't always the most popular ones.

The second enemy to wisdom is ignorance. Let the wise listen and increase in learning (Proverbs 1:5). If one is not informed then how can one make the best decision? If one makes a bad decision it can lead to bad consequences. The scripture says without knowledge my people perish. How can this be? Let me give you an example, lets say that a family's kitchen has been infested with small ants. One way to fix this is to call an exterminator. The cost is around 150.00. However, if the family had knowledge of a very simple and cost effective way to get rid of the ants it would have only cost them around 5 dollars. The homemade recipe is 4 simple ingredients: cotton balls, sugar, water, and a little borax. Now, do you see the benefits of having knowledge? Knowledge does a lot of things. It keeps you from getting ripped off or suckered into a bad business deals or loans. But you don't want just any type of knowledge. The type of knowledge that is desirable is the type that can bring you a return on what you know. For example, having the knowledge to work on computers and remove viruses etc... can be a very profitable side job. But, having lots of knowledge about useless facts and information may only get you on a game show. So seek out knowledge on things that really matter to you in terms of your perspective of what is important. For example, knowledge on money and investments. Or should I go to college? If so what degree? The list can go on and on. However, nonetheless knowledge is something that takes time and some work. This mostly comes in the form of reading. And not all types of learning is fun. This is why scripture says fools despise wisdom and instruction (proverbs 1:7). Why? Because a lot of the time it is hard work. And that brings me to the last enemy of wisdom: Laziness.

As a door turneth upon it's hinges so doth the slothful in their bed. But the slothful can barely get food to their mouth they are so lazy (Proverbs 24:14-15). Also not knowing that the more they sleep the more tired they become (Proverbs 19:15). Solomon said consider the ant though sluggard consider her ways and be wise (Proverbs 6:6). What are the characteristics of ants? Ants work around 19 hours a day and they can sleep standing up. Also, they can easily lift more than 100 times their body weight. And none of the ants have a boss or ruler to make them work so hard. So what are they doing exactly by working? They are carrying leaves and what not back to their nest to create an environment for fungus to grow. This fungus is what they eat. Basically they are constantly working to make sure they have food to eat later. They are storing and saving up because anything could go wrong in the future. No one will ever call an ant lazy. Laziness is an enemy to wisdom because if one is lazy then one will be limited in knowledge because obtaining knowledge takes some work. In addition, if one is lazy and not working how could they save and put back money for later? You see hard work pays off. It may not be cool or fun in the moment but every decision has an outcome. Laziness ultimately leads to poverty (Proverbs 6:11).

So the three enemies of wisdom are pride, ignorance, and laziness. The opposite holds true – friends of wisdom: being humble, informed, and hard working. Put these together with the correct perspective and you will yield good results. Remember you reap what you sow (Galatians 6:7)!

“Intelligence”

A word about intelligence. One may be very intelligent but that does not mean that he or she is wise. Intelligence is like a capacity for being able to acquire knowledge quickly. An easy way to think about this is think about a rechargeable battery. Lithium ion batteries are much better than Ni-cad batteries. Both will hold a charge. But the lithium ion battery holds a better and more stable/longer lasting charge so let's say it's the more “intelligent” battery. Now, think about the types of tools these batteries can go into such as drills, circular saws, chain saw, flashlights, etc.. If one was to put a Ni-cad battery into a chainsaw and a lithium ion battery to a circular saw and both tools tried to cut down a tree which tool would have better results? It's obvious the chain saw would because it is the tool that is meant for the job even though it uses the less powerful (less intelligent) type of battery. However, it was the operator that decided which tool to use. Therefore, it's not just about being “intelligent” but rather what you can do with your intelligence – which tool or decisions are you going to make?

Also, one can be hard working and still be foolish. A person may work 60 hours a week but at the end of the week he may end up spending it all on booze, cigarettes, lottery tickets, and entertainment. By the middle of next week he or she may be really hurting for money. As a result, they could end up going to a cash advance so they could make ends meet. This in turn hurts them when they get paid again because even more money is coming out of their check to pay back the cost of the loan including the high amount of interest.

Nonetheless, one may be both hard working and intelligent but not wise. For example, one may be making really good money because they are intelligent and have a degree that got them a good job (they also work hard). However, he or she may be terrible with finances and spends like a drunken sailor. This is allowed to take place with credit cards and other loans. And since one has a good income it's very easy to get credit cards and be approved for other types of credit. Once one gets into a hole of debt it can become harder and harder to dig oneself out. Do you remember the example of the chain saw vs the circular saw on cutting down a tree? It's not so much about the intelligence (battery) of the person but rather knowing which tool (decision) works best for which situation in life. The key to finding this out is knowledge yes, but also with the correct perspective combined with it. What I mean is looking beyond the immediate effects of a decision. What is the long term result you are after? Do you want to retire early? If so do you make an incredible amount of money that will allow you to buy a brand new vehicle and spend lots of money using a credit card – being able to pay this all back extremely quick? If the answer is no then you need to get a better perspective on how you can retire at the age you want. Look at the end result of where you want to be and start working backwards. Do this realistically and you can see how it can be possible. If instead you are more concerned about looking cool driving to and from work everyday then this will make your time to retirement much more longer down the road. Start by looking at all future outcomes of decisions.

Speaking of intelligence we all know how this is scored: using an IQ test. But what device do we use to measure wisdom? Interesting question huh? Unknowingly however, we have all taken the wisdom test. It's called reality. Does your life and the decisions you have been making up to this point reflect wise living? If not you can stop what you are doing now and begin to sew better seeds of choice and reap ripe rewards in the future. So stop caring whether or not you are “smart” enough to be wise. Wisdom is something truly better than intelligence or even riches. Why? Because you can't steal it from somebody. It is always with them. And once they have it and know how to work with it, they will have an easier life in many areas.

Nonetheless, knowledge does matter. But also different types of knowledge matters as well. Which type should you learn? This depends on the individual. I would recommend starting with things that you enjoy such as hobbies. Turn off our TV completely. This does not mean you can't use the internet. Search for things on Google of what you like to do. Read articles and even watch videos on things you like to do. With a little hard work and some knowledge you can acquire a new set of skills. How could this benefit you? For one you're not letting your mind go to mush watching the “boob tube” all the time. And secondly your new skill can make you money. For example, let's say one gets really good at gardening; good enough to sell organic vegetables at a farmer's market. Not only is he or she making money selling vegetables but probably at the same time saving money from buying extra food at the grocery store. This is only one example, but if you sit and think for a bit I bet you could come up with an example on your own. Yes, you may not make that much from a side hobby but that isn't the point. The point is that you are learning new skills. These skills may benefit you down the road in ways you may not see at the present time. When and if you get to the point of retirement you will want to do something to occupy your time with besides constantly spend money. The more types of hobbies/skills you learn the more occupied you can be. Not only that these side jobs could provide you with all the money you need to retire with comfortably.

Since we are on the subject of knowledge and intelligence I will go into schooling and degrees. Some people will say that students should go into a field that they really enjoy. There are two criteria I recommend for a degree. One the degree must provide a return on the investment. Will you get a good job with this degree? Yes or no? If the answer is yes then go towards this field of study if it interests you – which is the second criteria only choose a degree that interests you if it makes you money. Otherwise, you could just get a job making minimum wage and be better off financially. The end result is what matters. Some may see you as “smart” but at the end of the day are you struggling to put food on the table?

How does one know what a good degree is? Knowledge. One way is to look online at http://www.bls.gov/ooh this is the occupational outlook handbook. This will tell you all you ever wanted to know about the career you are thinking of pursuing. It covers subjects such as what type of education is required. How much is money the career typically brings in, the hours worked, among other things. Knowing this before hand may prevent you from getting a worthless degree or a degree in an area that is essentially worthless unless you're willing to move away. Also be sure to check the future prospects of the job market for the career you are considering. Will the job be in demand by the time you get out of school?

When you figure out what type of job you may like based on the number of hours worked, pay, education requirements, future job market, etc..  you then need to find a school. Private schools are much more expensive that state schools. This is because of funding from the government. This is something to consider before signing papers on a school loan. You will want to be as frugal as possible because after you get out of school you will be required to pay back the loan. If you are going to make 50k a year and be 150k dollars in debt will it be worth it? How long will it really take you to pay all that back? Would it be better to just get a job working somewhere instead? Be careful of the decisions you may because they have an outcome good or bad.

College may not be for you and that is ok. You can always try trade schools. You may have a knack for auto mechanics or wielding. Either of these trades can provide a good income at a lower price for the education. Strangely enough there are people who never go to college or go and drop out and end up becoming extremely successful. And there are those that get a decent degree and end up not making much money at all – in their career of choice.

So for college the best way to look at things is from the end result. Are you going to have a job with the degree? If so how much money will you be making? How much student debt will you have? Will a job even be available? The end result of what one would want would be a guaranteed job that makes good money while not being too much in debt. Remember you want to pay the bills and put food on the table.

Some may say “more money equals more problems”. I disagree. More materials equals more problems! Think about it. If I have only money in the bank that's the only thing I have to worry about. But if I have my money tied up in an expensive house I have to maintain it by mowing the lawn, landscaping, cleaning out the gutters, paying property taxes, house insurance, heating and cooling, etc.. the list goes on and on. Yes one needs a house to live in, but keep in mind the bigger the house the more expensive it is to maintain it. This is why I say more materials equals more problems. I haven't even mentioned cars, 4-wheelers, boats, or other expensive toys. Don't get me wrong there isn't anything wrong with these items. The problems begin where they become more of a cost (headache) than something you can enjoy. What I mean is do you have the money to maintain them while still able to reach your goal of retirement? Do you have to go into debt to obtain these items? Do you have time to enjoy them? Nonetheless, the more materials you have the more money you will spend trying to maintain and take care of them.

Hopefully now you can start to see where I am going with this. The premise is simple: Be humble, be informed, don't be lazy, and have the right perspective on things. If you do this you can easily see you don't need a million dollars to retire. How much money you need versus how much money you think you need are two totally different things. Being financially independent is not sitting around and not working. It gives one the option to go to work if they want to. Not if they have to. If you learn how to financially bypass really well then this lowers the amount of money you need to survive on. As a result, you need far less money to retire than previously thought. Once you get a snowball of money built up you can begin to work less hours at work. This will free you up where you can focus more on your hobbies or side jobs. Eventually your side jobs may end up making you just as much if not more money than your regular job. Even if they don't it won't matter as much because you are no longer as dependent on the system as what you once were. You will still survive. You may not have millions in the bank but you may have all the time in the world. And time is money.

To Sum up

If I could sum up do it now and thank me later what would it be? The first thing I would tell a young person would be to save your money. Get a savings account and just start saving your money. The ideal way to go would be to get what is called a Roth IRA. The great thing about investing in a Roth IRA is that you don't have to pay taxes on your earnings and plus you get the benefit of having compounded interest. Some people may save up money and then start a business or put money into an invention. These things can be great but they aren't without risks. One thing about savings is that it works every time 100% of the time. You can't go wrong with saving money. As far as inventions go, don't look for things to invent. Look for problems to solve. This is what thinking is about remember? If you solve problems then the end result will be an invention or a solution to a problem that may save you money or even make you money. Apart from saving your money, the way to really look at this financial program is that it is not specific to an individual or goal but rather trying to get you to take on this perspective as your own in order to make the best decisions to retire much more earlier than you would ever imagine. Remember you don't need a million dollars to retire!

Secondly, get a degree or learn a trade such as wielding, plumbing, electrical, auto mechanics, etc.. Do this before you get married or have children. Also, don't have children before you get married. And find a good paying job before you get married. Be sure to research all you can about the job you choose. You want a good outcome. After you get settled into your career don't get consumer fever by getting credit cards and loans to buy things you really don't need with money you don't yet have to impress people you don't like. It's very easy to fall into consumer debt. Resist the temptation and keep saving your money.

Third, learn to let go of your prideful ego. Learn to sacrifice by perhaps not driving something quite as nice or living in the most expensive area. Keep saving your money. When possible always buy items with cash. And, just because you are driving a beat up car right now doesn't mean that you'll be driving one forever. Remember, look at the end result. Letting go of your pride lets you pay the car off quicker and gives you options - options to trade it in later or sell it whenever you want. You are on a different financial track than most people. If you want to retire before most people you can't do what most people are doing.

Fourth, stop watching TV. It is nothing but a time waster anyhow. By not watching TV this will free up your time to obtain more knowledge. The more knowledge one has the greater chance one has at making a better decision. Don't get me wrong some things I watch on Netflix. But, it's not a hours a day type of deal. You have to balance your time.

Fifth, learn as much knowledge as you can about the types of decisions you will be making in the future. Career, housing, investments, etc.. As far as the types of investments this will vary from person to person. Some may like mutual funds. Some may like real estate – if they have a knack for plumbing, electrical and carpentry work. Again this will require knowledge – specific knowledge. And if you get advice from someone be sure you get it from someone who has already done what you want to do. For example, would it be wise to get financial advice from someone in debt or someone with no debt?

Sixth, don't get hooked on drugs, start smoking or drink heavily. Bad habits like this can cost you more than you are willing to pay. Anything that sucks money from you without a return is definitely something you should want to stay away from. If one is on drugs they will never be able to fully realize their potential or even save money for that matter.

Seventh, have a plan of where you are going and want to be. Be specific. He that fails to plan plans to fail. When you have a good perspective your perceptions will reflect that and you will be able to see into the future the types of results you should get by making the right decisions to get there. Remember it's all about decisions. Good decisions = good life. Bad decisions = bad life.

Financial Bypassing Quick Guide

Below I have put up a simple chart for financial bypassing. This is more like training wheels to get you started. You may end up making your own list considering everyone has different types of wants and needs. Nonetheless, to make your own list be informed with all the knowledge you can get about the subject matter and this will help provide the solution to the problems.

Food:

Grow your own garden. Coupons can help as well.

Car:

Used car with few miles. Do some research.

Cell phone:

Cheap cell phone plan w/ limited minutes. Use wifi whenever possible to save you money and minutes.

Cable/satellite:

Cancel it. Use an antenna for local programming. Use netflix or other service for entertainment.

Laundry Soap:

Make your own. Google “Dugger Soap recipe”.

Lawn mower:

Use a self powered Reel Mower

Haircut:

Cut your hair yourself. Mostly for men. Get some electric clippers and watch some videos on youtube on “how to cut your own hair”.

MP3'S:

Flv2mp3.com Copy music from youtube and the website lets you download the video as an mp3 file.

Gym Membership:

Workout at home. Try this first to make sure you are committed. Then invest in adjustable dumbbells and a good weight bench. Also visit how2bodybuild.com

Computer:

Instead of throwing out your slow computer and going off to the store to buy a new one download Ubuntu on a flash drive. Then install the new operating system on your computer. It is like having a new computer again. Best part is that you will only be out the cost of the flash drive (also easily put onto a DVD as well). Ubuntu is free! Ubuntu.com

Ant spray:

Instead of buying toxic chemicals or hiring an expensive exterminator make your own ant killer with borax, sugar, and water. Google

Home Phone:

Google voice. Use device called Obi. Search for it at amazon.com. Can connect home phones and also cell phone can connect to number using wifi.

Clothing:

There are stores that sell used brand name clothing. Also, do you need to buy new clothes all the time? Look for the end result of what you want.

Services:

In your spare time instead of watching TV or playing candy crush on your phone instead spend your time learning new skills. By doing this you are investing in yourself. These skills can not only save you money but can even make you money! Examples include mechanical work, electrical, plumbing, carpentry, etc..

Everything else:

Look for used items. Craigslist is great.