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People do all kinds of stuff to save a couple bucks.

They set their thermostats to 60 degrees in the winter. They buy a 49-cent muffin for breakfast instead of the $3.49 chicken biscuit they really want. They even eat less food as a money-saving strategy.

These are all bad ideas that come from the belief that money is scarce.

Money is abundant, not scarce. Trillions of dollars are sloshing around out there. A lot of people are getting rich.

Instead of thinking that money is hard to get, try to think of money as easy to get. Because it is.

3 Ways to Make More Money

Money is not hard to come by. You just have to figure out how to get some.

• You can get a raise. Ask for one.

• You can get a higher-paying job.

• You can start a business.

Starting a business is the best way to make money. It's also the most fun.

There's something else you can do…

Think Rich

Something rich people have in common is that they all seem to be in a hurry.

For them, money isn't something they worry much about. Instead, they worry about time.

When people or things waste your time, it's distressing. Would you rather stand in line for an hour at the post office or pay $50 to skip to the head of the line?

If you could earn more money doing something else during that hour, you'd probably pay that $50 to skip the line. If not, it would be more efficient to wait.

How to Live a Richer Life

I will spend money on stuff, but I will not waste time.

For example, I am happy to pay the extra 50 cents to buy pre-made hamburgers at the grocery store. Sure, I could get a pound of meat cheaper and make my own patties. But I don't have 10 minutes. Plus, the pre-formed burgers are uniform and cook up better.

I'd rather spend that time hosting my radio show, making music, and pursuing my MFA in creative writing—things I want to do, even if they don't produce revenue.

Time is precious. Money is not.

Most people get it backward. I know people who work 40 years at jobs they hate. They deny themselves their daily Dunkin’ runs. Then they sit on the couch watching TV all weekend feeling miserable and deprived.

This all comes down to their false belief that money is more valuable than time.

You Have a Decision to Make

Most bad decision-making comes from believing money is more valuable than time.

This is what makes people turn into criminals. In Oceans 11, each of those guys who stole money from the casinos got about $12 million bucks. That's not a small amount of cash, but would that be worth spending 20 years in jail for?

In 20 years, you could make way more than 12 million.

What I'd rather have is 10 years added to my life.

You have to get to a place where your life depends on more than money.

Some people have money-making skills and some don't. But that's not a function of intelligence. This is something that can be learned.

If you are ready to change the way you think about money, start here.

Jared Dillian