Have you seen this "Make $20,000 a Month Online"? The internet is full of get rich quick schemes. We are overloaded with spam email, popup advertising, Google Adsense ads and the like. Most of these are announcing the next big Internet money making sure thing. That or advertisements for porn. Either way, 90% of these are probably a waste of time and very likely a scam to steal every dime out of your bank account that they can. So why do these predatory tactics work? They must work right? Someone is making money or we wouldn't see so many of them.

The real issue is WHY they work. All of us want to be financially free. We are all looking for the way out of our paycheck to paycheck lives. The problem is most of us never really take the time to figure out why we are broke in the first place. Second, we fail to figure out how we really want to live. What is really important to us. We see the big house and the fancy car and we think "this is what I need."

I saw an article the other day. It was about families making over $250,000 a year that live paycehck to paycheck. They are afraid that the new tax laws are going to push them over the cliff into financial ruin. I don't want to get into the new tax issues in this article. Whether it's fair or unfair is not the point. The point is that if you are earning $250,000 a year and bringing in $12,000 a month how can you be broke? The answer?

BECAUSE YOU WANT TO BE.

I understand that the cost of living is high in many areas. I understand that families have obligationsresponcibilities such as college funds and electric bills. I understand all too well. But I also understand that this is America. And in this country we are blessed with the right to make choices. If you choose to live in an area where your 1100 square foot house costs you $300,000+ it's your choice. If you choose to drive a $50,000 car it's your choice.

So what if you only make $50,000 a year? Or less? You still have choices. I have heard it said that the most costly item in the world is an excuse. No matter what you earn you still have choices. Some of these choices may be hard. Some may require more work. But you still have a choice.

So here are three keys to financial freedom:

First, you must understand that get rich because of the money you earn.

You become wealthy because of the money you spend.

If you spend less than you make you can become rich. Period, end of story. It may take you longer if you only make $35,000 a year but you can become wealthy if you spend less than you make. So you must first understand how you spend your money. Down to the penny.

I challenge you to keep a record of every cent you spend for the next thirty days. I would bet that most of you would be shocked at the money you spend on things like eating out, coffee and other crap you really don't need.

Second, you have to decide what wealth is. Is it a big house and a sports car? If so, you need to understand exactly what this will cost you. Most Americans do not understand the real cost of buying stuff. Here is a hint: If you are not paying cash for that new car you are paying too much.

Financing has ruined this country. Not because financing is a bad thing but because most consumers do not understand how it works. Once you understand that interest is an unstopable force when it is working for you (in the form of investments) instead of working against you (in the form of mortgage payments, credit cards etc.) you can start to see that all that crap you bought on credit is actually robbing you every month. Until you understand this you will NEVER be financially free.

For me wealth is time. I know how much my time is worth. And what I am willing to pay for it. Surprisingly, once you strip away all the stuff that can steal your money and your time it is easy to see that financial freedom does not cost as much as you might think. For me it's much less than $250,000, much less. For you it might be more. Either way must understand that it is possible to become wealthy without these principles but impossible to remain wealthy without them.

The third thing you need is a plan. Now you know where you spend your money (or what you are throwing it away on). You know what wealth is to you.

Now you need to figure out how you can pay for it. More on this next time, until then I suggest you start with Rule 1 and stop losing money. You can do it. If you really want it!