15 Revealing Rich vs Poor Behaviors You Need To Know [List]

15 revealing rich vs poor behaviors you need to know [List]

15 Revealing Rich vs Poor Behaviors You Need To Know [List]. Who are you? You know who you are, right? The definition of who you are can defined in many ways. If you are here you are thinking about money, you are mostly thinking about rich vs poor as your dichotomy. Are you rich person or a poor person when it comes to money? You may use your salary as a determination, but that does not tell the whole story. How about using what you have bought as a measuring stick. Because you have a fancy house or car does not mean you are rich.

You have heard of the celebrity that files for bankruptcy after falling on hard times with work. They were never rich, they were a poor person that happened to earn a boat loads of money with poor money habits.CEO/top execs of business small and large know how to manage their personal money.

They are less likely to go bankrupt. How about a pro athlete that earns millions only to file bankruptcy after they retired. Their post playing income streams don’t support the lifestyle they had while playing. They are in the same boat as the celebrity that doesn’t know how to manage their money.

When I say rich vs poor I am referencing their habits and has nothing to do with their income level.

Lottery anyone?

Poor money habits lead many lottery winners blowing through their winnings. They end up right where they started. People with good to great money habits don’t play the lottery. People with poor money habits play the lottery in hopes of getting rich quick.

What are the odds of winning the lottery again? I admit to playing it, no shame in it. I don’t play solo anymore. If there is an office pool, sure I will put in a buck or two. You will never see me putting down anything more than that or stand in line when the lottery gets big.

Lifestyle

If you make 6 figures or earning a small wage and you are spending everything it then plain in simple you are poor. Are you making ends meet for the necessities of life with your income then there is no shame in that. Keep at it you will make it or at best you will setup your kids to make it.

Only making ends meet because your lifestyle you have setup for yourself then I have no sympathy for you. You have the cash flow to be wealthy but you don’t want to be. Buying what you need and what you want as long as the money as is there in the account after payday. You spend first, then save what is leftover. That is a poor person habit. Your lifestyle isn’t ready for bumps in the road that come from job loss or downturn in the market.

Instead pay yourself first then spend on what you need and splurge for that want when it is appropriate. That is a rich person habit regardless of net worth at point in their life.

Behavior and Attitude

With rich vs poor behavior and attitude will go long way in determining how successful you are with money in your life. You have to shift your thinking to make tangible growth in any situation. Maybe your spouse has poor money habits and not you? Your friends maybe?

I have a friend about the same age as me. We were both living at home with are parents after college and were making about the same amount with our jobs. He spent most of his income, while I saved most of it into 401k/IRAs/Down payment.

I spent only on what I needed with the weekend hang out sessions with other friends. I had enough to put down a hefty down payment on home and invest in my wife to go to school after we got married.

He was still single and kept his spending habits the same as his income grew. When I talk to him about investing money in the market he complains to me that you have to have money to make money. Things that make you go hmm.

What would you do?

If someone gave you $1,000, what would you do with it? Be honest with yourself, no point lying to yourself. Would you start thinking about what to buy with it? Would you think where I could save/invest this or pay off debt.

A poor person would buy the latest Apple Iphone, while a rich person would buy APPL stock. See the difference? Shift your thinking and get uncomfortable living to your own standards. Don’t live to the standards of people you spend time with.

Your 5 people

As the saying goes, you are the average of the 5 people you spend the most time with. Let your friends live/spend how they want, but there is no reason you have to do the same. Shift your thinking. Be more intentional with your money habits.

If you want a punch in gut from the master of telling you how it is and if you are poor or not watch Dave Ramsey’s video on the poor. I am not a Dave guy but he hits it home with this one.

Still don’t know which one you are? See which column you fall into as you look at each item. The more in the left, the better chance you have to reach financial independence. It does not guarantee but you will have a leg up on the people in the right column.

Rich:

Earn a dollar, want to double it
Food is a small portion of budget
Expense stay flat or don’t increase at the same rate as income
Want to sacrifice the now for later
Look for business
Multiple sources of income
Read or learn
Failures are their own mistakes and learn from them
Less focus on optics, they care less what others think
Buys house within their means
Buys car within their means
Turn Needs into Wants
Delay gratification
When they want to buy two things but only have money for one, they strive to get both with the same money
Doesn’t play lottery

Poor:

Earn a dollar, want to spend it
Food is large portion of their budget
Expense rise as income rise
Do not want to sacrifice now for later
Look for a job
Single source of income
Watch TV
Failures are someone elses fault
Focus on what other think, buys into consumerism
Buys more house than they can afford
Buys a car on a loan that they cannot afford
Turn Wants into Needs
Requires instant gratification
When they want to buy two things but only have money for one, they complain they can’t have both
Plays lotttery