You’ve seemingly heard tales of individuals born wealthy or stumbling right into a windfall, however many rich retirees began with only a small stash and grew it over time with good cash strikes. The perfect half? You don’t want a fats pockets to steal their methods.
Whether or not you’ve acquired $1,000 or $100,000, these 13 habits to steal from the rich can set you up for a protracted and pleased retirement.
Right here’s the right way to put each into motion, with ideas and examples impressed by rich retirees’ playbooks.
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1. They pay themselves first (and automate it)
One of the crucial widespread habits of the rich is paying your self first. It really works by setting apart a portion of your revenue to be allotted to financial savings or investments earlier than spending that cash on anything.
Auto-transfer 10% to twenty% of your revenue to a 401(okay) or IRA. Vanguard’s How America Saves 2025 exhibits auto-savers have 29% larger balances. Paying your self first ensures you’re constructing wealth over time.
2. They hold their cash shifting
Rich retirees develop each greenback. Make investments money in shares, ETFs, or high-yield financial savings (a median of 4% to five% APY per Bankrate 2025), as an alternative of letting it sit.
Don’t let money sit in low- or no-interest accounts. Letting your money sit idle means it loses worth to inflation, which at present sits at 2.35%. Even $1,000 invested in a high-interest account can develop considerably.
3. They reside beneath their means
In The Billion Greenback Secret, Rafael Badziag writes about how most billionaires view cash as one thing to speculate, quite than one thing to spend. That could be opposite to many individuals’s perceptions.
Spend lower than you earn, keep away from way of life creep, and save the distinction for retirement. This technique retains wealth accumulation on monitor.
As reported by Kiplinger, the Worker Profit Analysis Institute (EBRI) 2024 Spending in Retirement Survey exhibits that retirees who overspend early battle later. Many rich people will goal to reside on 70-80% of their revenue, saving the remainder.
4. They ditch pricey debt
The rich keep away from high-interest debt, like bank cards, by paying balances in full every month. Common APRs in 2025 are 22%. Curiosity funds drain wealth and might create a unending cycle of debt.
In 2025, Talker Analysis performed a survey commissioned by Nationwide Debt Reduction. It discovered that 72% of older Individuals have collected debt, with greater than half feeling overwhelmed and fearing they’ll by no means pay it off. When you’re in debt, prioritize high-interest balances first utilizing the debt avalanche methodology.
5. They plan a monetary future
Create a roadmap for retirement, together with financial savings targets, anticipated dwelling bills and funding methods. Plan too for sudden bills, comparable to emergency medical or long-term care prices.
The Worker Profit Analysis Institute (EBRI) 2025 Spending in Retirement survey exhibits that whereas disciplined spenders retire with 2.1 instances extra financial savings, planners save 2.2 instances extra.
6. They meet commonly with a monetary adviser
Seek the advice of knowledgeable to refine your retirement technique, optimize investments and keep away from any pitfalls. Advisers can catch blind spots. The 2025 Tendencies in Retirement Planning survey by the Monetary Planning Affiliation (FPA) exhibits that retirees who meet with a monetary adviser have 15% larger financial savings on common than those that don’t.
7. They persist with a finances
Following a spending plan to manage bills and protect financial savings in retirement simply is smart. That’s why the rich do it. Budgets make sure the longevity of funds. One instance is utilizing a 50/30/20 finances (50% wants, 30% desires, 20% financial savings and debt) and adjusting post-retirement for mounted revenue. As a substitute, there may be additionally the 60/30/10 finances (60% wants, 30% desires, 10% financial savings and debt).
Jake Falcon, CRPC and CEO at Falcon Wealth Advisors, factors out that rich retirees don’t simply finances — they align spending with their values. “Whether or not it’s journey, philanthropy, or household experiences, they prioritize what brings pleasure and which means.”
He says that he typically encourages purchasers to embrace “guilt-free spending” as soon as necessities and financial savings targets are met. “This mindset helps retirees get pleasure from their cash with out nervousness.”
8. Rich people make investments early and sometimes
Begin investing in your 20s or 30s and contribute commonly to leverage compound curiosity. The key to compound curiosity is much less concerning the quantity that’s saved and extra concerning the period of time it’s invested.
A $5,000 funding at age 25 can develop to $70,000 by age 65 at 7% annual returns. Make investments what you’ll be able to early on and enhance your contribution with raises or with extra revenue because it turns into accessible. Take a look at Kiplinger’s Retirement Calculator to see in the event you’re on monitor.
9. They prioritize property over liabilities
The rich commonly give attention to buying wealth-building property, comparable to shares and actual property, over money owed, like automobile loans and mortgages. That’s as a result of property generate revenue, whereas liabilities drain it. The annual Wealth Report for 2025 notes that rich retirees maintain 70% or extra of wealth in property.
“From unused automobiles to rental properties, rich retirees typically promote property that now not serve them. This isn’t simply monetary — it’s emotional.” As Falcon has mentioned many instances, ‘Don’t confuse promoting the merchandise with promoting the reminiscence.’ Simplifying frees up time, reduces stress, and improves monetary readability.”
10. The rich make their cash work for them
Use passive revenue, comparable to dividends, leases, or automated investments to develop wealth with out fixed effort. Passive revenue ensures monetary freedom.
In line with IRS information reported by Yahoo Finance, the common millionaire has seven revenue streams, together with dividend revenue from shares, rental revenue from actual property, capital beneficial properties from promoting property which have appreciated, and curiosity from financial savings, bonds or lending actions.
Think about Jeff Bezos: His annual wage is reportedly solely $81,840, however most of his $156 billion internet value comes from his Amazon shares.
11. They’ve monetary data
Monetary data reduces the possibility of creating pricey errors. Find out about investments, taxes and retirement accounts to make knowledgeable choices.
In line with a CNBC survey, virtually half of Individuals (46%) do not know what their 401(okay) is invested in.
12. They typically evaluate and modify
Reassess your monetary plan a minimum of yearly to adapt to market adjustments, bills or adjustments in your long-term targets. This method, executed proactively, can result in higher decision-making and improved monetary outcomes over time.
13. They take educated dangers
Rich people usually spend money on diversified, calculated alternatives, comparable to shares and actual property, quite than solely “protected” choices like bonds. Plus, they diversify their portfolio with index funds or seek the advice of with an adviser for danger tolerance.
Falcon agrees that diversification is essential. “Earlier than retirement, many rich people trim concentrated positions — particularly employer inventory— and simplify their portfolios. Holding 30–60% of your internet value in a single inventory is dangerous. Diversification reduces volatility and aligns the portfolio with revenue wants quite than development hypothesis.”
Final phrase
Even when you do not have a considerable inheritance, thousands and thousands within the financial institution, or 15,000 shares in Apple, you’ll be able to nonetheless make good cash strikes to set your self up for retirement success.
Stealing habits from rich retirees like paying your self first, ditching pricey debt and protecting your cash shifting can assist you construct a safe nest egg, whether or not you’re beginning with just a little or so much. Begin small, keep constant and watch your retirement fund develop. Your future self will thanks!
