7 money rules that quietly made my family rich

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Hey Ambitious,

Last weekend, I was cleaning out my father's old bookshelf when I discovered a book "The Richest Man in Babylon."

The pages were yellowed, with notes scribbled in the margins and countless passages underlined.

As I flipped through it, something clicked.

My father—who started with nothing but built enough wealth to put three kids through college and retire comfortably at 55—had essentially used these exact principles as his financial blueprint.

What struck me wasn't how complicated these wealth principles were... but how simple.

In today's newsletter, I'm sharing the timeless wisdom from this 1926 classic that's created more millionaires than perhaps any other financial book in history.

These seven cures for a "lean purse" are deceptively simple, yet most people struggle to implement even one of them consistently.

Let me break them down and show you how they apply in 2025.

The Seven Ancient Cures for a Modern Lean Purse

1. Pay Yourself First Using Skills You Already Have

This might be the most powerful financial principle ever written.

Before you pay your landlord, before you pay Apple, before you pay your favorite restaurant—pay yourself first.

The book recommends saving at least 10% of everything you earn.

Not after expenses, not if there's something left—10% comes off the top, always.

One of my newsletter subscribers, James, started this habit just 18 months ago.

He automated a transfer of 10% of his salary to a separate account the day after payday. His exact words to me last month:

"It's weird, but I don't even miss that money anymore. And somehow I've accumulated $14,700 without feeling any pain."

Action step: Set up an automatic transfer of 10% of your income to a separate savings account the day after you get paid. Label this account "My Wealth Fund" so you mentally separate it from emergency savings.

2. Keep Your Expenses Low

Clason writes: "What each of us calls our 'necessary expenses' will always grow to equal our incomes unless we protest to the contrary..."

This is what financial experts now call "lifestyle inflation," and it's the silent wealth-killer that affects even high earners.

Look at professional athletes who earn millions yet go bankrupt, or executives making $500K a year who still live paycheck to paycheck.

Their expenses expanded to match (or exceed) their enormous incomes.

Action step: This week, review your last 3 months of expenses and identify three "necessary" expenses that might actually be desires in disguise.

For many of my clients, subscriptions, dining out, and upgraded tech gadgets are common culprits.

3. Invest What You Save

Saving alone doesn't build wealth—investing does. As the book says, we must "put each coin to laboring that it may reproduce its kind."

In plain English: Make your money work for you so eventually your money makes more money than you do.

A practical example: If you save $500 monthly but keep it in a standard savings account earning 0.1% interest, you'll have $60,000 after 10 years.

But if you invest that same amount in a diversified portfolio averaging 8% returns, you'd have over $91,000—that's $31,000 of extra wealth created while you sleep.

Action step: If you haven't already, open an investment account this week. For beginners, a simple index fund through Vanguard, Fidelity, or Schwab makes this process nearly effortless.

4. Protect Your Investments From Loss

"The first sound principle of investment is security for thy principal."

In today's world of crypto pumps, meme stocks, and get-rich-quick schemes, this wisdom is more relevant than ever.

The truly wealthy understand that preservation of capital comes before massive returns.

Warren Buffett's first rule of investing? "Never lose money." His second rule? "Never forget rule number one."

Action step: Before making any investment, ask yourself: "What's the worst-case scenario here, and can I afford that outcome?" If the answer is no, look for a safer alternative.

5. Invest In A Home

While housing markets vary wildly across regions, the principle remains sound: "Own thy own home."

When you pay rent, that money is gone forever.

When you pay a mortgage, you're building equity in an asset you own.

Sarah, a WealthOperators member since 2023, recently shared that her home has appreciated 23% since purchase, while her mortgage principal has decreased by $18,000.

That's over $70,000 in net worth created in just 3 years—all while having a place to live anyway.

Action step: If you don't own a home but want to, set a target date and specific savings goal. If homeownership isn't possible or desirable in your situation, consider how you might invest the difference between your rent and what a mortgage might cost.

6. Invest For Retirement

The book emphasizes preparing for the future when you can no longer work as you once did.

Today, we have advantages Babylonians couldn't imagine—tax-advantaged retirement accounts like 401(k)s and IRAs.

The math is startling: A 25-year-old investing $500 monthly until age 65 with 8% average returns would accumulate over $1.7 million.

Wait until 35 to start, and that number drops to $745,000.

That's nearly $1 million lost just by delaying 10 years.

Action step: Increase your retirement contribution by just 1% this month. You likely won't notice the difference in your paycheck, but your future self will thank you profusely.

7. Learn New Skills To Increase Your Income

"The more of wisdom we know, the more we may earn. That man who seeks to learn more of his craft shall be richly rewarded."

This final cure is perhaps the most powerful in our knowledge economy.

While the other principles help you manage and grow your existing wealth, this one helps you create more wealth from the start.

As Naval Ravikant perfectly summarizes: "Free education is abundant, all over the internet. It's desire to learn that's scarce."

Action step: Identify one skill that could make you more valuable in your current role or industry. Commit to 30 minutes daily for the next month to develop this skill through online courses, books, or practice.

Simple But Not Easy: The Path Forward

These seven principles are deceptively simple, yet most people will never apply them consistently.

And therein lies your advantage.

Financial success isn't about finding some secret investment that no one knows about.

It's about consistently applying these timeless principles that everyone knows but few actually follow.

As I've seen with hundreds of WealthOperators members: The gap between knowing and doing is where wealth is built or destroyed.

Which of these seven principles resonated most with you? 

Reply to this email and let me know—I read every response personally and would love to hear your thoughts.

💌 Enjoyed these insights? Don’t keep them to yourself. Forward this newsletter to someone who could benefit.

Stay wealthy,

Be Wealth Operator