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Hey Reader,

I've been thinking a lot about what it really means to be "doing well financially." Most people would say it's having a nice house, a flashy car, and all the latest gadgets.

But here's the thing - you can have all that stuff and still be worse off than you think.

Remember my definition of wealth? If I earn $5,000 a month, spend $5,000 a month, and have $5,000 in the bank, I have exactly ONE MONTH of wealth. One month! Even if I look "rich" to everyone else.

But if I only need $3,000 a month to live on and have investments that generate that much passively? That's TRUE wealth - even with zero dollars in the bank.

Looking back, a few key decisions really changed my financial trajectory:

1. Buying my first rental property at 22 (even though I was scared and knew nothing about repairs)
2. Avoiding "the creep" - that tendency to upgrade everything the moment you get a raise
3. Focusing on multiple income streams instead of just a higher salary
4. Only buying things I could pay for in cash

I know it feels weird to live differently than everyone else. When I downsized my housing and kept driving my old car while friends were upgrading, people definitely gave me strange looks. But I kept marching forward because I knew this path would be best for me in the long run.

The conventional path (college → debt → job → bigger house → more debt) works for some people. But everything popular isn't always right.

Sometimes the opposite approach is what leads to true freedom.

What's one small step you could take this week toward financial minimalism?

Maybe it's tracking your spending for the first time, or identifying the 20% of expenses that bring you 80% of your happiness so you can eliminate the rest.

Remember - less isn't laziness. It's being intentional about what actually matters.

Talk soon,
Gabe

P.S. If you're working 80 hours just to afford your lifestyle, you might be doing worse financially than you think. Time is the ultimate currency!

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