I constantly run into people who complain about their finances, and I often give them advice. My advice is simple, “always, take advantage of opportunities.” Whether they are educational opportunities, job opportunities, or investment opportunities, when you see something that interests you learn all about it and go for it! Most people however appear to wallow in their current situation, get frustrated, and never take steps to make their life better off (financially).

I must take a quick stop here to say the happiest people I know are poor people, so don’t go chasing wealth thinking more bucks are going to solve your problems (God and faith work here). But there is a financial number that works for each of us. For some it’s just getting by, for others it’s having toys, for most of us it’s not having to say, “I can’t afford things like an occasional steak, a dinner out, or getting our kid braces.” I remember the days when having a reliable car was everything. Just remember everything beyond the basics is luxury (most don’t see it my way).

Anyway, back to my advice. And I’ll be blunt. It’s actually quite easy to make a good living in America and we should be really happy it is. Now I cannot say much to those of you who have “jobs.” I had “jobs” early on and I hated them. All I can say here is find the job and wage you want, look at the qualifications and work your way towards those qualifications. And learn to communicate. That means stop everyone you meet and try your best to make them laugh, ask them questions, and sincerely try to get to know them. This is not like adding FB friends. It’s more like inviting someone to a party or helping them find a job. A good friend of mine has a saying, “show me your friends and I’ll show you your future.”

So how does one make money if you are entrepreneurial in nature? The answer is quite simple. Stay focused! I stopped by a business the other day. I knew the owner and asked how’s it going? His answer was,”great!” I asked again. Great in what way, you making any money?”

“Oh ya,” he replied, “we’re killing it!”

So I asked, ” What’s your long term plans?”

“Interesting you asked. I just put the building up for sale, I want a slower pace. I’d be willing to train the new buyer if they want the business too,” He freely told me.

I then asked about his cash flow, his gross sales, expenses, and his net. He said his daily gross is $1,000 up to $2,700 on a good day and he nets $800/day for he and his wife. I then asked so what’s your selling price, he said $250k for the building, about $289k for the building and business.

Folks, that’s cheep! So where is this building and business you ask? Well, I’m not going to say! What I am going to tell you is there are hundreds of opportunities just like this in or around where you live. You may need to open your mouth, ask questions, learn about business, and understand a little about real estate. But most importantly you may need to be more inquisitive. And of course you’ll need a few bucks saved to jump on opportunities like this.

The sad news is, most of you would want to know what kind of business is this or think “that’s hard work.” Or maybe, “I could never live there the winters are too harsh.”

So we come back to the truth. Full circle if you will. You’d rather complain about not making money, you’d rather play video games and never talk to strangers or business owners, you’d rather wait for something to fall into your lap. Wait, wait, wait, till it’s too late.

Wake up this is still America, the land of opportunity. Stop listening to the politicians, you don’t absolutely need a college degree or get your start delivering packages for Amazon. If you need to work hourly to save a bunch of money do it! Believe me, you you can do things in fields you have not invested an interest in. And if you want to learn, communicate, and build a solid circle of friends you too can make a great living. Good luck.

About me: I’m a happily retired Christian and former small business owner who has made money in all sorts of ways. I’ve done things I didn’t necessarily like, bought and sold a few of my own businesses. I put a lot of sweat into my own homes and office buildings. I mowed the grass and took out the garbage. I learned about investing and the power of compounding interest and I’m not afraid to make friends, to learn, and ask stupid questions to make myself smarter and more successful. If you need more advice I’d be happy to help, I want you to be successful too!