Photo by Ben Heine

“No matter what I do I can never seem to make ends meet. My wife and I make a reasonable income, cut expenses wherever we can, and do not indulge in many of the “extra” things in life. Despite this, we are always living paycheck-to-paycheck. Other than taking on an extra job, what can I do to bring more prosperity into my life?”

Signed,
Pauper in Pleasantville

Dear Pauper,
If you are living from paycheck to paycheck with little left over for savings or fun, welcome to the club! You are certainly in good company. The headlines are screaming about unemployment rates, the financial crisis in Europe, and other financial bad news. Credit card debt is at an all time high. The costs of living are rising, and we are in the midst of a baby boom. More middle class Americans are worried about money more than ever. How can you fight this trend?

Let me offer you some hope. There are some things that you can do to positively turn your money life around. Nearly every personal development book, tape, or expert has advice on increasing your wealth.

The amazing thing is, the advice is practically all the same. Napoleon Hill, Anthony Robbins, Robert Kiyosaki, Earl Nightingale, and Paul Zane Pilzer (among many others) all use different words to say the same basic thing.

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