You've probably heard of Robert Kiyosaki's popular book, "Rich Dad, Poor Dad."

I read the book several years ago, and one powerful lesson taught within its pages stuck to me like glue. I'll probably never forget it, because it's just that important for anyone who wants to live a financially abundant life.

According to "Rich Dad", every time you spend money, you're spending it on one of these 3 things...

The lowdown:

Which group are YOU in?

One of the things I've learned lately about millionaires is that they generally consider their time VERY valuable.

 

Like I've said before, I don't claim to be a "success guru" or have all the secrets to becoming a millionaire. However, I am constantly studying wealthy people to learn how they do things, and emulating their positive habits in my own life.

 

Here are 3 ways I've discovered that YOU can easily become more productive every day, and ironically, get even more free time as a result!

 

1) Stop wasting transition times!

 

Ok, let me re-phrase that. How often have you found yourself in the checkout line at a store for 5 minutes, maybe even 10 minutes? When that happens, we typically just zone out, gaze at all the candy and doo-dads for sale, or read headlines on the tabloids while we inch our cart toward the cashier.

 

At the suggestion of my friend Noah St. John, I've started using "afformations"...questions that force your mind to work on creating positive answers for you. Examples of afformations could be, "Why am I making so much progress toward my goals right now?" or "Why am I always in the right place, at the right time, with the right people?"

 

I recently typed my own top 5 afformations into a "note" file in my mobile phone. That way, when I get stuck in a checkout line, traffic jam, or some other boring inconvenience, I can actually use that time to be productive and keep my mind conditioned for success and happiness.

 

Also, some people suggest keeping a list in your pocket of tasks that only require 3-5 minutes to complete. These could be taken from your to-do list each day. Whenever you find yourself with 5 or 10 minutes of "useless" transition time, use it to cross off one of those tasks!

 

2) Get up earlier in the morning.

 

I hate this one.

 

In fact, as I'm writing these very words, it's 10:26 AM and I'm still in my pajamas. But many successful people swear by it. And if you examine the lives of the highly successful people you know, VERY few of them will tell you that they sleep in on a consistent basis. You'll be much more likely to discover that they rise at 6 or 7 AM, often even earlier.

 

Like I said, I love sleeping in. But fact is fact...

 

The morning hours are usually best for focused, undisturbed productivity.

 

Let's look at the average person's schedule. Wake up at 7:45 AM. Shower, quick breakfast, and commute to work. Start work at 9 AM. Get home from work at 6 PM. Change clothes, dinner, relax for a while. Get a few things done around the house and run an errand or two. It's 10 PM, getting really tired, bed at 11:30 PM. 

 

Now, if your dream is to start a small online business selling funny t-shirts or providing consulting services, how the heck are you going to start making progress toward that goal? Or if you want to start going to the gym 3 days per week, maybe even start reading the classics of literature.

 

When will you have time? You already have NO unused time in your schedule...so chances are, you may NEVER end up actually doing these things!

 

But what if you decide to join the 6 O'Clock Club and rise at 6 AM every morning?

 

Suddenly you've got 13 more hours in your week, and more than 52 more free hours each month!

 

Don't you think 13 hours per week is enough to go to the gym 3 times...without rushing? And isn't that enough time to start taking some serious baby steps toward your goal of starting an online business?

 

Heck, you could read, "The Count Of Monte Cristo" from start to finish in less than 1 month...even if you're a slow reader! (Do the math: 1,200 pages at 60 seconds per page = 20 hours total reading time). Imagine the knowledge of classic literature you could have in one year!  

 

Never underestimate the morning hours.

 

 

Yes, I'm talking about those geeky gadgets that fit over your ear and make you look like a cyborg.

 

After years of laughing at the people who wear them, I finally broke down last week and purchased my first Bluetooth headset. And wow...I've gotta tell ya. Not only is this little gadget super cool, but it's going to make me a LOT of money. 

 

In my current job (sales), a big paycheck requires talking to large numbers of people every day. Most of my profits come from gathering new customers for the company. But a friend and I recently discovered that we can supplement our incomes nicely by upgrading current customers as well.

 

My friend, a Bluetooth advocate for years, made the observation that we also both drive on the freeway more than 2 hours per day. During that time, I usually listen to music (satellite radio rocks!) or just daydream and think.

 

But what if, he suggested, we started using that time on the road to call current customers and help them upgrade to better take advantage of the company's services? Using a Bluetooth headset allows me scratch down necessary information on a piece of paper (like phone numbers) while keeping one hand securely on the wheel, and my attention on the road.

 

Since we started this new habit, it isn't unusual for each of us to make an extra $75-$150 per day...just during our daily commutes!

 

If you're spending a lot of time in the car, don't let it go to waste! Get a Bluetooth headset and make some important calls. If you don't have any phone calls to make, get some audiobooks on personal development and listen to them during your commute.

 

Just some tips to help you start making daily progress toward your goals.

 

Enjoy!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

When most people think of millionaires, they envision sheltered rich people who live lavish, excessive lifestyles. Unfortunately, we have been programmed by movies and the media to believe that this is the way all wealthy people live. And it couldn't be further from the truth.

I've had the privilage of meeting and becoming friends with dozens of wealthy people in the last few years, and here are two facts I've discovered about them:

 

1) Wealthy people are some of the most generous, caring, loving, and considerate people I have ever met...even when randomly approached at an event or party. 

 

2) Wealthy people are generally very careful with their money and always keep an eye out for good deals and ways to be frugal.

 

I wanted to write today and tell you about one way that YOU can become more like a millionaire by handling your money more responsibly and not spending too much for the products you purchase.

 

One very cool website I've recently discovered is http://www.slickdeals.net. It's sort of like a big forum, where thousands of people tell others about deals they have discovered at different websites on the Internet.

 

Just visit the site via the link above and type whatever product you're looking for in the search box. I'm currently looking for a nice Bluetooth headset, and the kind people who post on slickdeals.net have made me aware of several fantastic deals that are currently available. My guess is I'll probably save $10-20 on a headset when I buy one.

 

Pretty cool!

 

Check it out and let me know what you think. Also, if you know of any similar websites that feature up-to-date deals and offers that may be useful to our readers, please leave a comment below and tell us about it!

 

 

Ladies...

 

Ever watched celebrities walking down the red carpet at the Golden Globes in their shimmering designer dresses and thought to yourself,

 

 

Well, now you can find out.

 

My sister recently informed me that a couple of online companies are now making designer dresses and outfits available to anyone, regardless of budget.

 

One particular company, Wear Today Gone Tomorrow, stood out to me above any others. They rent dresses by the week at 90%-off the retail price, and there are no membership fees, shipping costs, due dates, or late fees.

 

Think of it as the Netflix of women's designer fashion.

 

They even guarantee that the dress will fit you, by offering a 'Standardized Sizing' across designers. According to their website, each article of clothing is measured and undergoes stringent sizing calculations to ensure that if you measure as a size six on the standard 'Size Chart', a size six borrowed from any designer on their website will fit.

 

For example, this dress by Diane Von Furstenburg retails for $320, but you can rent it on the website mentioned above for just over $30 per week.

 

 

Pretty cool, huh?

 

The only catches are 1) A "cleaning fee" of $10 is tacked onto the price of each rental, and 2) the range of sizes available are relatively limited.

 

Ladies, if you want to look stunning at your next big event (a formal dinner, night out on the town, or even a first date) but you don't exactly have a few grand to spend on a dress that you know you'll only wear once or twice, renting could be the perfect solution. 

 

Guys: Judging from my girlfriend's reaction when I showed her the Wear Today Gone Tomorrow website (http://www.weartodaygonetomorrow), a gift card to a designer rental service like this could be an impressive gift idea for your special lady.

 

I recently found another cool website that offers designer handbags, jewelry, watches, and sunglasses for rent. The service is offered by a company called Avelle, and looks like a fantastic place to get accessories for your next big event without spending a fortune.

 

 

The handbag above rents for just $31 per week, which actually includes damage insurance...just in case. You can check out all the varieties and prices offered by going to the company's website at http://www.bagborroworsteal.com.

 

By the way, if you pay for one year of rental credit in advance ($60), you will receive a complimentary extra $60 of rental credit...meaning that you could actually rent the handbag above for free. Sneaky, huh?

 

Anyway, that's all for today!

 

Have fun browsing...and if you have any experiences with renting designer clothing or accessories that you'd like to share, please use the comment section below. We would love to hear from you!

 

Until next time...

 

[Jesse Lear is author of Millionaire Lifehack, a blog that shows you how to live the good life without having millions of dollars in the bank. Don't forget to follow Jesse on Twitter @jesselear, and please share your thoughts in the comments below or email us at millionairelifehack@gmail.com!]

  

Have you ever heard about a rich person who hired someone to do a normal, every-day activity like laundry, and thought to yourself, "Jeez, that rich guy must be super lazy...he could have easily done that himself in like 45 minutes and saved his money!"?

If so, you're not alone.

Most people think this way, and it's a very common misunderstanding.
 
Over the past few years, I've become very good friends with a number of highly successful people. And one of the most valuable lessons I've learned from them is that, generally speaking, wealthy people pay very close attention to the value of their time.
 
They see it like this:

Let's say you make an average of $25 per hour while you are working at your job, or if you are an entrepreneur, working on your business. That means your time is worth $25 per hour. 

If you spend 1 hour this evening doing your laundry when you could have hired someone else to do it for $10 per hour, then you are literally saying:

"I would rather do my laundry and make nothing than let someone else do my laundry and make $15." (the $25 you would have earned in that amount of time, minus the $10 you would have paid someone to do your laundry). 

You are also saying, "My leisure time isn't even worth $10 per hour to me."

If you think about it, it makes a lot of sense. 

My business coach once said to me, "Jesse, some of my friends think I'm lazy because I hire someone to put up my Christmas lights every year. But I'm not lazy. When I pay $100 to have my lights put up, what I'm really paying for is an evening to relax in the living room with my kids. To me, it's worth it."

A different perspective, huh?

Unfortunately, most people don't think this way.

They say, "I'd love to hire someone to do my laundry, but I don't have that kind of money yet."

Has it ever occured to you that perhaps the REASON you don't have that kind of money yet is that you're still spending your valuable time on tasks that are worth only $10 per hour?

The poor and middle class are willing to sacrifice hours of every day doing menial tasks just to save a few bucks, when that time could have been used working toward their goals (a higher profit-per-hour), or enjoying the more important things in life.

Hmm. ;)

Anyway, my main reason for writing you today was to show how you CAN hire someone to do your laundry, dishes, or other housework for even LESS than $10 per hour. 

I've been moving around a lot lately, so I'm temporarily doing my own laundry and dishes. But last year, I hired someone to completely take over all the laundry and the kitchen at my apartment. 

And wow.

Can I tell you how nice it was to come home every day and find my clothes clean and neatly folded in my drawers, my closet thoughtfully organized, and my kitchen sink sparkling clean?

Ahh! It was awesome.

It took so much pressure off my shoulders since I always tended to procrastinate these tasks before, and it gave me more time to relax (really relax) and hang out with my favorite people in the evenings.

Best of all, it only cost me about $8 per hour. 

How did I do it?

Most people don't realize what an incredible resource a local university can be. If you've read my post on getting a personal trainer, you already know about one exciting way to utilize the services of college students.

This is another one that works incredibly well. 

Generally speaking, college students want and need money!

And they aren't looking for thousands.

I personally know probably a dozen responsible college students who would agree in a heartbeat to do housework for $8-10 per hour, because in most cases they are just looking for some extra weekend spending money for dining out, movies, beer, etc.

How To Do It

1) Decide exactly which tasks you need done, and make a quick and simple checklist. If you're particular about HOW a certain task is done, be sure to explain that on the list as well. If you like your jeans hung in your closet instead of folded in your dresser, write it down. If you want your coffee cups placed in the very front of your cupboard so you can reach them better, write it down.  

2) Get the word out. Print up bright yellow flyers with bold, black letters that will grab attention and explain your offer. Post an advertisement in the college classifieds (most likely online). Use the local Craigslist. Do whatever you can to attract interested candidates.

3) Interview! Sure, it's a menial job. But an interview is still absolutely necessary. It will help you get a feel for each candidate and determine which one is most likely to be trustworthy, organized, and hard-working. Firing someone sucks, so do everything you can to find the right person from the start.

Bonus Tip: When hiring someone to help with housework, it will be tempting to just hire a friend or a college kid you already know and like. But be careful. Never hire someone without first asking yourself, "If I hire this person and it doesn't feel like it's working out for whatever reason, would I be able to fire him/her without possibly damaging a relationship that's important to me?" If the answer is no, then hiring that person is a no-go. Period.

And that's it folks.

If you decide to take action on the ideas in this article, or you already have a story about outsourcing your housework that you would like to share, we would love to hear about it! Just drop us a note in the "comments" section below.

Thanks for stopping by...and remember:

You don't have to wait 'till you're a millionaire to live the good life. ;)

Love and best wishes,

Jesse

P.S. Happy 09/09/09!

[Jesse Lear is the founder of Millionaire Lifehack, a unique blog that demonstrates how any responsible person can live like a millionaire, without having millions of dollars in the bank! If you have thoughts or an opinion on this post, be sure to leave your comment below. For private comments or questions, send email to millionairelifehack@gmail.com. These ideas are only for entertainment and MLH is not responsible for anything that may happen as a result of their use.]

 

Do you LOVE staying in hotels like this...

 

...but paying $300 per night simply isn't an option yet?

I just got off the phone with a good friend of mine, and she told a story about a particular luxury hotel where she and her husband have stayed that charges rates in excess of $250 per night.  

Just to give you an idea of how upscale this place was, one evening they actually ran into a well-known rapper and his whole entourage in the lobby.

When I heard how little my friend paid to stay there, I yelled, "Forty dollars per night? How did you do THAT?"

Turns out, she's a raving fan of Hotwire.com, a site that sells last-minute bookings for hotels.

Before I go any further, this is already sounding a bit like an advertorial, so keep in mind that I have no affiliation with Hotwire! I'm just passing along a cool discovery that you may want to think about on your next trip or vacation.

To explain the concept of Hotwire, imagine a hotel that has a total of 250 rooms, and only 200 of the rooms have been booked for tonight (so far).

If the hotel estimates that 30 of these rooms will remain empty all night, they often allow Hotwire to sell them to people at a highly discounted rate...so they can at least make SOMETHING from those 30 rooms.

After all, most hotels would rather make $40 from a room than $0!

Now, I've know about Hotwire for a while...but I've just never taken the "leap" and tried it. I investigated the site further, and here's an honest look at some pros and cons I came up with: 

Pros: You can choose the level of hotel quality you want (2 star, 4 star, etc.), the amenities you require, how much you're willing to pay, and the specific location of town where you want to stay. In most cases, your stay will be WAY cheaper than the hotel's normal rates.

Cons: You have to pay in full ahead of time, and they don't tell you what exact hotel you'll be staying in until after you pay.

That second "con" has always made me a little uneasy, but if you think about it...what does it matter? You can get very specific about the kind of hotel you want, and their match MUST meet those requirements...so how bad could it be?

If you've ever had a cool experience with Hotwire or know someone who has, I'd love to hear about it. Just click on the "comment" button below and give us your two cents!

Ever heard about a movie star deliberately losing or gaining 20 pounds in a matter of a few weeks…just to play a certain character in a film?

It happens all the time.

And that should tell us something.

Celebrities know something about weight management that the average person doesn’t. Or, they DO something about it that most people don’t do.

Of course, there are multiple factors involved, but one “common denominator” stands out to me more than anything else.

When the rich and famous want to lose or gain weight, they don’t rely on their own knowledge or motivation to make it happen.

They hire a personal trainer.

Unfortunately, the average person can’t afford to have that kind of expertise and support.

According to my research, the average cost of hiring a personal trainer is $50-80 per hour. Which means that if you spend an hour at the gym 3X per week, you’ll have to dish out nearly $800 every single month to have this kind of celebrity advantage.  

But spending all that money for a trainer is the NORMAL way…and as you are probably figuring out by now, I rarely do things the normal way. ;)

Recently, I made a cool discovery that allowed me to get a personal trainer for a cost so low that you probably wouldn’t believe me if I told you.

Like, zero dollars and zero cents.

Here’s How I Did It

I’ve always been a skinny guy. At 5 feet 9 inches tall, my natural bodyweight has hovered around 135 pounds ever since I was 18 years old.

My lanky physique has always been a source of some insecurity for me, so last December I made the decision to get serious and do something about it.

One afternoon, I was studying at Panera Bread (one of my favorite spots) with a buddy of mine when he mentioned that he had been struggling to come up with an idea for a practicum required by one of his fitness classes.

Most people don’t know this, but college students who are studying to become personal trainers are often required to self-design some sort of project that gives them real-world experience.

My friend was in this position, so I suggested a unique idea.

Instead of just working the front desk at a gym or some other boring project, I told him…

“Dude, why not use ME as your practicum, and act as my personal trainer for the next 4 months?”

He would get experience doing everything a personal trainer would…all the detailed measurements at the beginning, the personalized work-out plan, motivational support, and closely supervising my workouts in the gym three times per week. 

As a result, he would graduate with a serious advantage over other students, and perhaps even a stunning testimonial for his portfolio, complete with before/after pictures.

…and since I knew very little about weight-gaining strategies at the time, my odds of meeting my fitness goal in the next 4 months would SKYROCKET.  

It was a win-win situation, so he excitedly agreed.

Despite the fact that he was a college student with very little experience, his motivation to do a good job and help me reach my goal made up for it.

He was a fantastic trainer, and I did exactly what he told me to do.

Less than 3 months later, I had gained 15 pounds of LEAN muscular bodyweight and felt a lot more comfortable in my own skin.  

Then it hit me.

Why couldn’t ANYONE do this?

How To Get Your OWN Free Personal Trainer

In nearly every city, there are colleges and universities with fitness and personal training programs.

And out of ALL the students at any given school, you’re practically guaranteed to find just one who is  interested in getting real-world experience and a testimonial of his own…especially if class requirements are involved.

So here’s how to start:

First, make a list of the nearby colleges and universities that offer fitness and personal training programs.

Then, send a quick email to several of the professors in the athletic training department, explaining your idea and asking them to spread the word to their students.

If you want to go the extra mile, print up some simple flyers announcing your offer and providing your contact information. Use a bold, black font on bright yellow paper to grab as much attention as possible.

Then post the flyers around the gym and the fitness classroom areas wherever it is permitted.

Finally, answer the phone calls and emails, and choose your trainer!

Offer to pay the “winning” student $10-12 per hour, and your chances will be even higher of getting a whole stack of applicants to choose between.

If you’re concerned about college students lacking experience, or about the possibility of the student misleading you, don’t let this stop you.

You will find that many of these students are highly motivated and exceptionally careful to guide you in the right direction because they KNOW that their ability to help you is a test of their likelihood to succeed as a trainer.  

And think about it…

Say your trainer suggests a method that doesn’t really get you brag-worthy results.

So what?

You’ve lost nothing, and you’ve given a valuable learning experience to a college student.

And if it DOES work out for you, like it did for me?

Well, four months from now, you just might find yourself walking down the sidewalk feeling, as the rapper Ludacris would say, “like a million, gazillion, fafillion dollars.” ;)

[Jesse Lear is the author of Millionaire Lifehack blog. If you would like to leave feedback on this post or ask a question, please use the comment section below or send an email to millionairelifehack@gmail.com]

 

One of my first “millionaire lifehack” discoveries was an easy technique for getting into high-profile events. In other words, events that are either “by-invitation-only” or extremely expensive.

And I don't mean breaking out your Conan O’Brien mask or bribing the security guys. ;)

 

I used this “technique” several years ago to get into a high-profile marketing conference with a $10,000 price-tag where I mingled with the some of the world's top Internet entrepreneurs.

Recently, I did the same thing to get into a hot “by-invitation-only” fashion show in South Beach, Miami where I was surrounded with famous celebrities and gorgeous models from around the world.

The craziest part?

Not only do I get into these events for free, but it's actually ASSUMED that I'll get “VIP Access” to all the action behind the scenes. 

Can you guess what I'm talking about yet?

The "technique" I'm referring to is volunteering.

Yep, offering to work without pay. After all, who doesn’t like a free employee…even for an evening?

Companies and organizations often look for local volunteers to help at events because it’s a big hassle to hire temporary employees, and too expensive to fly a bunch of current employees to the venue.

If you don’t already have the connections or the money to get into VIP events, volunteering can be the perfect “launch pad” for you. Focus on making just one or two solid new friends while you’re there, and you may soon find yourself in some very exclusive circles.    

How To Do It…

Pick an event that you’ve been wishing you had the money or connections to attend. Or, use a search engine to find an event that you think would be an amazing experience. It could be anything from a writers conference to a sports camp led by a famous athlete. It’s your choice.

[Note: Your chances of hearing back are significantly lower when inquiring about volunteering at a high-security event. I tried volunteering for Obama’s Inaugural Ball and got nowhere].

Once you have chosen an event, browse the event website until you find an email address of someone behind the scenes. It doesn't matter who it is...even the guy in charge of set-up and supplies is fine.

Just contact someone.

Tell them you're interested in volunteering and that you would be happy to help with whatever they need. If you have any experience that would make you a great fit, include that. Just be humble and cool, and you should eventually get a friendly response.

By the way, don’t expect any glamour or special treatment yourself at these events. Remember, you’re there to work. If your assignments are boring or tedious, don’t complain…just do them diligently. It will pay off. Trust me.

In my experience, if you make friends with the people in charge and do your best to help them out, they will often go out of their way to make your time worthwhile by letting you experience the event as much as possible, and even giving you free stuff.

Try it!

[Jesse Lear is author of Millionaire Lifehack blog. Please comment or ask a question below and say what's on your mind!] 

 

 

 

See the picture below?

It was shot in Monaco by my friend Josiah Mackenzie while we were travelling Europe a couple of years ago.

Most people spend thousands of dollars for just 7-10 days of travelling in places like this. But I travelled all over Europe for 4 months without spending a dime...even my plane flights were free.

And I lived like a king.

Welcome to the Millionaire Lifehack blog!