5 Moves That Keep You Broke (No Matter How Much You Make)
Good morning, good afternoon – whatever time you're reading this! I've got a lot to get off my chest today about why we stay broke, and I'm not just talking about people making minimum wage. I'm talking about families making $440,000 a year who are still living paycheck to paycheck. Yeah, you read that right.
Listen, I've coached people making $20,000 a year with the same exact excuse for being broke as those making nearly half a million: "It's hard." And that right there should tell you everything you need to know – it's not about how much money you make, it's about what you're doing and telling yourself that keeps you there.
So let's dive into the five moves that are keeping you broke, no matter what's in your bank account.
Move #1: "I Work Hard, That Should Be Enough"
This one hits close to home because that was me. I was working 78-80 hours a week as a district manager, running 50+ stores across the Southeast, making $32,000 a year. I was doing work way above my pay grade, and you know what I told myself? "I work hard. Someone will notice. That should be enough."
Here's the brutal truth: Nobody else appreciates your work the way you think they should. And more importantly, you're probably not asking for the raises and bonuses your work ethic actually deserves.
When you accept this "I work hard, that should be enough" mentality, you sacrifice two things:
The money your work ethic deserves – because you're not asking for it
Time with your family – because you're working yourself to death for recognition that isn't coming
I had to hire a pet sitter for my dogs because I was never home. And for what? To stay broke while working more hours than I did in the Marine Corps for less money.
Stop being an overachiever where you don't need to be. It's keeping you broke and away from the people you love.
Move #2: "Budgeting Is for Poor People"
If nobody thinks they're poor, then nobody's budgeting. The statistics show 68% of households don't have a budget, and the 32% that do? They barely follow it.
I had a client making $180,000 a year – young guy in tech, minimal expenses, living his best life. When he was making less money, he was excellent at tracking every tip, every bit of income from DoorDash, organizing his money perfectly. He had a budget and he stuck to it.
But once he started making more money? That budget became outdated. He stopped tracking. And guess what happened? For a year and a half, he was paying $300 per month to a debt account that had already closed. That's $5,400 down the drain – money that could have almost maxed out his Roth IRA for the year.
When you think budgeting is beneath you because you make "enough" money, you start bleeding cash without even knowing it. Your money starts leaking everywhere, and you can't see the holes.
Move #3: "I'll Invest More When I Make More"
This is where I need you to really pay attention because this concept will change everything about how you think about money.
Imagine your income going through filters. First, there's the tax filter – you make $100,000, about $80,000 comes out the other side after taxes. Pretty straightforward, right?
But here's what most people don't see: there's an inflation filter that's just as brutal as the tax filter. Your $100,000 sitting in a savings account for 20 years? It's worth about $54,000 in today's purchasing power.
Everything goes through the inflation filter:
Money in your bank account
Savings accounts with low/no interest
Cash under your mattress
Money you spend on anything
The only way to avoid the inflation filter is to invest. You can invest in high-yield savings, CDs, market-based accounts, insurance-based accounts, or businesses. But if your money isn't growing somewhere, inflation is eating it alive.
When I stress-test financial plans, if inflation goes up by just 2%, most plans drop to a 30% success rate. If it hits 3%? Nearly 100% failure rate. Inflation is worse than market crashes when it comes to destroying wealth.
Move #4: "Debt Means Failure"
I used to have $220,000 in debt. It took me years to even start chipping away at it because I felt like I'd never climb out of the hole. When you feel like you'll never get out, you don't take the steps to actually get out.
But here's what changed my perspective: there are incredible strategies that use debt to build wealth. I'm not talking about going into debt for crypto scams or get-rich-quick schemes. I'm talking about legitimate strategies like:
Capital maximization – using someone else's money to build your wealth
0% interest transfers – moving high-interest debt to no-interest credit lines
Business credit strategies – leveraging corporate credit to reduce overall interest payments
Some of my wealthiest clients got there by understanding how to use other people's money strategically. They didn't let debt drown them mentally – they turned it into a tool.
If you're drowning in bad debt, there are ways out. Companies like Weightless Financial (one of my partners) work with attorneys to help you pay the least amount while protecting your rights. Don't let debt keep you paralyzed.
Move #5: "It'll Work Out Eventually"
This might be the most dangerous mindset of all. "Everything will just work out. God's got it. I'll be in a better place eventually."
Listen, I've struggled with mental health issues. I spent 13 months in the hospital, went through extensive group therapy. They gave me all the tools, all the resources, all the coping strategies. But you know what? I kept telling myself it would get better eventually without doing the work.
That mindset put me right back in the hospital.
Here's the truth: People can throw all the tools you need into your cave, but you're the only one who can climb out. You have to take the steps. Nobody else can do it for you.
This applies directly to your money:
You won't automatically start budgeting better
You won't automatically start making more at work
Your business won't automatically become more profitable
You won't automatically start closing better deals
None of that happens automatically. And if you think it will, you're lying to yourself.
The Bottom Line
I'm tired of seeing people double or triple their income and still feel just as broke as before. It's not about the number in your bank account – it's about these five mindsets that keep you trapped.
Stop telling yourself you work hard enough to deserve recognition without asking for it. Start budgeting regardless of your income level. Invest now, not later. Learn to use debt strategically instead of letting it defeat you. And please, for the love of everything, stop waiting for things to just work out.
Take action. Do something. Ask somebody. Go anywhere. Because anything is better than nothing.
Your financial future isn't going to fix itself. But with the right mindset and strategies, you can break free from being broke – no matter how much you currently make.
Want to dive deeper into creating your own success blueprint? Check out our website at reforgedhq.com and explore our four-part blog series on building wealth. And if you're ready to take action on your financial plan, don't wait for "eventually" – start today.
