If you're anything like me, your 20s were spent figuring out your life and working your way up the skill ladder to finally make a decent income.
Maybe you’re in a stable job but wondering if there’s a way to eventually escape the rat race. Or maybe you started a business and it's finally working, so you want to look ahead to the future to set yourself up for what comes next.
Whatever brought you here, the goal is clear: You want to build wealth ethically, sustainably, and efficiently. And you’re in the right place.
Here's how I think about building wealth in my 30s. Maybe it'll help you too.
Building wealth isn’t something that happens magically. It’s not the result of a lucky windfall, a lottery ticket, or an unexpected inheritance. Wealth comes from being intentional with resources — time, money, and effort — and making smart decisions consistently over time.
By your 30s, your career and lifestyle are likely taking shape. This is the decade to double down and be strategic about how you use your income and opportunities. The actions you take now will set the foundation for predictable and sustainable wealth by the time you’re in your 40s.
Building wealth is simpler than you might think. By focusing on the 80/20 of wealth-building, you can get rich by following simple rules and ignoring all the fancy, overly complicated strategies out there.
Wealth is about more than money. It’s about freedom — freedom to live on your own terms, to pursue what excites you, and to contribute to something meaningful.
Wealth is the ability to live completely from intrinsic motivations — doing things out of love, curiosity, or joy, rather than obligation or external rewards.
It means:
It's not about hoarding cash, it’s using your financial assets to sustain a lifestyle you love.
Here’s how you can apply this formula:
It’s not just about cutting costs — it’s about spending intentionally. Wealthy people focus on using money for things that appreciate (investments, education, or health), while broke people often spend on things that depreciate (cars, gadgets, or trendy luxuries).
Minimizing expenses doesn't mean living in a shack and eating ramen every day. It means trimming the fat and getting down to the essentials you need to live contently depending on your stage of life. Minimizing expenses is going to look a lot different for everyone depending on where they live, if they're married, if they have kids, and what their schedule looks like. Expenses are going to look a lot different for a married man with two young kids living in Austin compared to a single guy with no kids living in New York compared to a married guy with no kids living in Raleigh.
One expense I never limit is my learning budget. I buy books, courses, and programs all the time, focusing on anything I believe will directly help me in my career or personal growth. While these investments might not pay off immediately, they often deliver huge returns years later.
Another way to simplify budgeting is to separate your expenses into fixed costs (those you can’t avoid, like rent or utilities) and variable costs (everything else). I wrote a detailed post on personal finance for HENRYs (High Earners, Not Rich Yet) that explains this in depth. By focusing on fixed and variable categories, you can make budgeting super easy without tracking every single dollar.
Ask yourself: Is this expense helping me build wealth or keeping me stuck?
Your income is your most powerful wealth-building tool. Whether you’re working a traditional job, freelancing, or running a business, the goal is to increase your earning potential.
Here’s how to make that happen:
Ask yourself: How can I make myself more valuable to my company?
Wealth builders are multipliers — they make their money work for them. Simply stocking cash in a savings account won’t make you wealthy. To build wealth, you have to put your money to work, getting a return and multiplying what you save.
This doesn’t mean gambling or taking unnecessary risks. It’s about being strategic and squeezing as much value as possible out of your money.
The best way to multiply your money is through ownership.
Examples of how to multiply your money through ownership:
Ask yourself: Is this money sitting idle, or is it actively working to generate more wealth?
A high-paying job provides the perfect foundation for building wealth, as long as you reinvest your income wisely.
How to start:
Example scenario assuming an 8% annual return rate over 10 years:
Results like this are possible when you automate your savings and investments as well as avoiding lifestyle inflation.
A business is one of the most powerful tools for building wealth because of its unlimited earning potential, tax advantages, and ability to create multiple streams of income.
When you own a business, you can double, triple, or even quadruple dip into the wealth-building benefits:
Example scenario over 10 years:
Results like this are possible when you have the risk tolerance and persistence to reach escape velocity and get the business of the ground.
Here’s an controversial truth: You don’t need a financial advisor or wealth manager to become or stay rich. In fact, these professionals often make a ton of money by scraping fees off the top, while studies show that they frequently perform worse than automated investing strategies like index funds and ETFs.
Only you truly know your finances, budget, and goals. You don’t need a gatekeeper to tell you what to do with your money — especially one who might not have your best interests at heart. Modern tools and resources make it easier than ever to manage your own finances. Platforms like Vanguard, Betterment, and Fidelity provide all the guidance you need, often at a fraction of the cost.
The truth is, financial advisors are often more about selling their services than offering indispensable value. With a bit of education and intentionality, you can handle your finances better than any advisor ever could. The key is taking control, being informed, and staying consistent.
Building wealth starts with how you think about money. Here are some key mindset shifts:
Your 30s are the perfect time to lay the foundation for wealth. With consistent action, you can build financial freedom by the time you’re 40.
Start today by:
Wealth isn’t about luck or shortcuts — it’s about discipline, strategy, and time. By following these steps, you can almost guarantee building wealth in your 30s.
