Articles

No, I’m not being crass. This is serious stuff. If you want to experience true financial freedom, you need to make enough money to essentially say, “Screw you!”

Not that you go around yelling that at everyone. It’s the principle of the thing.

Let me explain. Back in 2014, Mark Wahlberg made a little movie called “The Gambler.” At one point in the film, Wahlberg’s character loses $2.5 million gambling (must’ve been betting on GameStop), and goes to “loan shark” John Goodman looking for cash.

And Goodman delivers a speech about money that is absolutely epic. It goes like this:

"You get up $2.5 million... any doofus knows what to do with that.

You get a house with a 25-year roof… you put the rest into the system at 3%–5% to pay your taxes, and that's your base. You get me?

That's your fortress of freakin’ solitude.

That puts you for the rest of your life at a level of ‘Screw you!’

Somebody wants you to do something... 'Screw you!'

Boss pisses you off... 'Screw you!'

Own your house. Have a couple bucks in the bank. Don't drink.

That's all I have to say to anybody at any social level."

John Goodman being epic. Source: YouTube

The moral of the story is this…

You need enough money to live your life free and clear of other people’s crap. Enough that, if you wanted to, you could just walk away from a situation you didn’t want to be in. “Screw you!”

For sure, I operate from a position of "screw you." I have money in the bank, my house is paid off, and I'm self-employed. If I wanted to quit everything, I could quit.

If I'm putting up with people's crap, it's because I want to put up with people's crap.

I don’t need anyone to hand me money—I’m not beholden—I make my own.

Here's Looking at You, Kid

Humphrey Bogart was said to have kept $100 in his dresser drawer at all times. He never had to take an acting job he didn't want. That's because he had enough cash to "tell any SOB in the world to go to hell."

On my radio show, I always say that your goal should be to remove stress from your financial life. In order to do that you need to live your life at the “Screw you!” level.

But how do you do that?

The good news is, this level of financial freedom is easier to get to than you think. (You don’t actually need $2.5 million to get started.)

How to Build Your "Screw You!" Fund

Own Your House

If you have a mortgage on your house, you are not dealing from a position of screw you. You're working for the bank.

Live Debt-Free

If you have debt, you are not dealing from a position of screw you. That loan, credit card—whatever—is dictating your life… it’s your boss.

Pay Cash for Your Car

If you have debt on your car, or if you’re stuck leasing… you're not dealing from a position of screw you. You are beholden to that car note.

Max Out Your Retirement

If you don’t max out your retirement and invest wisely (I tell you exactly how to do that here), you will have someone else dictating your life when you grow older. That is definitely not dealing from a position of screw you. Even if that’s your beloved son or daughter, they still end up being your boss.

Start Your Own Business

If you have a job at a company, if you work for a large organization… you're not dealing from a position of screw you. You are dependent on someone else for a paycheck. (Yes, I know not everyone wants to start their own business, but we’re talking about the pure philosophy behind “Screw You!” money here. Just go with it.)

Don’t Lose $2.5 Million Gambling

If you are gambling like Mark Wahlberg and you are in over your head with loan sharks, you are also not dealing from a position of screw you. Don’t gamble. Capisce?

“Screw You!” Money Lets You Take Risks

No one should be taking risks without first: building their emergency savings, maxing out their retirement, owning their home, and eliminating their debts.

Otherwise, the only thing you’ll end up doing is “screwing up.”

Do I take risks? Absolutely.

In a couple of months, I'm taking out a loan to build a house.

That’ll remove me from my coveted position of “Screw You!” for a minute. But that was my risk to take.

Besides, my goal is to pay that sucker off as fast as humanly possible to regain it.

You're allowed to take risks. I encourage you to take them. Gigantic ones. Dream big.

Just make sure you are doing it from a position of financial strength, not weakness.

The Curveball No One Looks For

There’s one more thing I need to mention. If you want to operate from a position of financial strength, you need to account for inflation.

The crazy thing is, no one does this. They say, “I need $1.5 million for retirement,” and they never adjust that number for inflation.

Hmm. OK. What are you going to do when the Fed’s estimated 2% rise in inflation, year over year, cuts your dollar in half?

The answer: Not have enough money when you retire—making you beholden to someone else to take care of you.

If you want to know how to tell even inflation to “Screw You!” then check out my brand-new (and timely) report, “Inflation Bull: 8 Ways to Profit—NOW!” You won’t be sorry you did, but you might be sorry if you click off this page and then get hit with 4% inflation next year. Don’t say I didn’t warn you.

Jared Dillian