7 blocks to getting your money in order

I've always wondered why so many people gain weight after college. I'm not To view this email as a web page, [click here]() [IWT Header] {NAME}, I've always wondered why so many people gain weight after college. I'm not talking about people with medical disorders, but regular people who were slim in college and vowed that they would "never, ever" let that happen to them. Yet, little by little, [most Americans gain an unhealthy amount of weight](). (Side story: When I was preparing the 10th anniversary edition of [my book](), given how weight and health had become such controversial topics, I was advised to delete any references to them. But after my own journeys with nutrition, fitness, and money, I now believe even more in the connections between them — and that you can take control. So I kept them in.) In short: - Weight gain doesn't happen overnight. If it did, it would be easy for us to see it coming — and take steps to avoid it. - Ounce by ounce, it creeps up on us as we're sitting behind a computer for eight to ten hours a day. - When it comes to weight loss, 99.99% of us need to know only two things: eat less and exercise more. Only elite athletes need to do more. - And yet we don't do that and focus instead on debating minutiae like trans fats, obscure supplements, and Whole30 versus paleo. The same is true of money. Instead of focusing on the few, simple things that matter, we get distracted. Some people ignore it and feel guilty. Others obsess over financial details. Both options yield the same results — none. Back when I first got my money in order, I decided to follow two core tenets: - I'd learn by taking small steps - I'd learn by managing my own spending Just as you don't have to be a certified nutritionist to lose weight or an automotive engineer to drive a car, you don't have to know everything about personal finance to be rich. I'll repeat myself: You don't have to be an expert to get rich. But you do have to know how to cut through all the info and get started. That's what this week is about. If you've been thinking about getting your money in order for a while but just haven't gotten around to it, this is for you. Today, let's get started. Step 1: Call out the blocks holding you back from taking control of your money. People have lots and lots of reasons for not managing their money. Some of them are valid, but most of them are poorly veiled excuses for laziness and not having spent even 10 minutes on research. Instead of letting them limit your Rich Life, call them out. Knowing your blocks helps you move past them (which is often much, much easier after they're identified). Which blocks have kept you from getting your money in order? 1. "It's boring!" I'm not offended. I get it. Why manage your money when you can watch Vanderpump Rules? But you know what's even better than avoiding your finances to watch trashy TV? Watching trashy TV while your money is managed and invested automatically! Front-load the work. Take care of the boring stuff now, then enjoy the benefits for the rest of your life (less stress, guilt-free spending, earlier retirement, and more). 2. "Maybe if baby boomers hadn't ruined it all for us…" There's a group of people (mostly young, disaffected people) who have decided it's easier to be cynical than to improve themselves. People actually compete to see who's the bigger victim. Would you rather be a cynic, stuck where you're at now, or would you rather carefully evaluate your options, knowing you'll probably make a mistake here or there, but keep growing toward your Rich Life? You choose. 3. "I never learned how to do this stuff." It's easy for people to wish that their colleges had offered some personal finance training. Guess what? Most colleges do offer those classes. You just didn't take them! (That's OK. You're reading this now. Professor Ramit is here to teach. Take notes.) 4. "I don't have money to invest!" If you barely make enough money to pay your rent every month, it's hard to think about your finances next year...or when you retire. If it's scary opening bills, you probably haven't opened a Roth IRA. But there's no minimum dollar amount needed to start taking control of your money. Building your money systems now, even if you're just saving a dollar here and there, can actually give you the confidence and control you need to turn your finances around. (Plus, I'll show you how to streamline your existing spending to generate the money you need.) 5. "Can I do it tomorrow?" Why? Are you too busy having brunch and bottomless mimosas? 6. "I'm afraid of losing money." That's fair, especially when we're surrounded by articles about unemployment, upcoming bubbles, bankruptcy, and countless other disasters. But if you want to achieve your Rich Life, you need to take a long-term view: The economy grows and contracts in cycles. By getting your money in order — aka automating it — you can put yourself in a position to excel when others are scared, by continuing to save and invest. You can be lazy and win...as long as you set up your money system first. Then let it grow on autopilot. That's exactly what I do. 7. "I'd rather not know the numbers." :( Some people are too embarrassed to get their money in order. If they really look at their finances, they're afraid of what they'll see: - Maybe they'll have to admit their spending is out of control. - Maybe they really do need a new job. - Maybe they can't afford the lifestyle their friends have. Easier to bury their head in the sand. Personally, I'd rather know the truth, even if it's unpleasant. That's the first step to making a change. If you're reading this, my guess is that you feel the same. And here's the truth: This isn't your grandma's house, and I'm not going to bake you cookies and coddle you. A lot of your financial problems are caused by one person: you. The good news is that means that you have the power to solve those problems, too. Instead of blaming circumstances and corporate America for your financial situation, you need to focus on what you can change yourself. So let's leave the blocks behind. - What if you could consciously decide how to spend your money, rather than say, "I guess that's how much I spent last month"? - What if you could build an automatic infrastructure that made all your accounts work together and automated your savings? - What if you could invest simply and regularly without fear? Guess what? You can! I'll show you how to take the money you're making and redirect it to the places you want it to go — including substantially growing your money over the long term, no matter what the economy is like. More coming your way tomorrow. Thanks for reading! [Signature] P.S. I'm curious, which of the blocks in today's email trips you up the most? What would it mean to leave that block behind? Reply to this email and tell me about it.   [Logo] [insta]() [Twitter]() [twitter]() [youtube]() [Linkedin]() This email was sent to [{EMAIL} .]() If you no longer wish to receive these emails you may [unsubscribe]( at any time. 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