富爸爸、穷爸爸(英文版)-第34章

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most　people　work　hard　all　their　lives　and　need　government　support　like　Social　Security　when　they　are　no　longer　able　to　work。
Do　you　see　it？　The　diagram　above　reflects　the　actions　of　an　individual　who　chooses　to　pay　himself　first。　Each　month；　they　allocate　money　to　their　asset　column　before　they　pay　their　monthly　expenses。　Although　millions　of　people　have　read　Classen's　book　and　understand　the　words　〃pay　yourself　first；〃　in　reality　they　pay　themselves　last。
Now　I　can　hear　the　howls　from　those　of　you　who　sincerely　believe　in　paying　your　bills　first。　And　I　can　hear　all　the　〃responsible〃　people　who　pay　their　bills　on　time。　I　am　not　saying　be　irresponsible　and　not　pay　your　bills。　All　I　am　saying　is　do　what　the　book　says；　which　is　〃pay　yourself　first。〃　And　the　diagram　above　is　the　correct　accounting　picture　of　that　action。　Not　the　one　that　follows。
My　wife　and　I　have　had　many　bookkeepers　and　accountants　and　bankers　who　have　had　a　major　problem　with　this　way　of　looking　at　〃pay　yourself　first。〃　The　reason　is　that　these　financial　professionals　actually　do　what　the　masses　do；　which　is　pay　themselves　last。　They　pay　everyone　else　first。
There　have　been　months　in　my　life；　when　for　whatever　reason；　cash　flow　was　far　less　than　my　bills。　I　still　paid　myself　first。　My　accountant　and　bookkeeper　screamed　in　panic。　　〃They're　going　to　come　after　you。　The　IRS　is　going　to　put　you　in　jail。〃　　〃You're　going　to　ruin　your　credit　rating。〃　〃They'll　cut　off　the　electricity。〃　I　still　paid　myself　first。
〃Why？〃　you　ask。　Because　that's　what　the　story　The　Richest　Man　In　Babylon　was　all　about。　The　power　of　self…discipline　and　the　power　of　internal　fortitude。　　〃Guts；〃　in　less　elegant　terms。　As　my　rich　dad　taught　me　the　first　month　I　worked　for　him；　most　people　allow　the　world　to　push　them　around。　A　bill　collector　calls　and　you　〃pay　or　else。〃　So　you　pay　and　not　pay　yourself。　A　sales　clerk　says；　〃Oh；　just　put　it　on　your　charge　card。〃　Your　real　estate　agent　tells　you　to　〃go　ahead…the　government　allows　you　a　tax　deduction　on　your　home。〃　That　is　what　the　book　is　really　about。　Having　the　guts　to　go　against　the　tide　and　get　rich。　You　may　not　be　weak；　but　when　it　comes　to　money；　many　people　get　wimpy。
I　am　not　saying　be　irresponsible。　The　reason　I　don't　have　high　credit　card　debt；　and　doodad　debt；　is　because　I　want　to　pay　myself　first。　The　reason　I　minimize　my　income　is　because　I　don't　want　to　pay　it　to　the　government。　That　is　why；　for　those　of　you　who　have　watched　the　video　The　Secrets　of　the　Rich；　my　income　comes　from　my　asset　column；　through　a　Nevada　corporation。　If　I　work　for　money；　the　government　takes　it。
Although　I　pay　my　bills　last；　I　am　financially　astute　enough　to　not　get　into　a　tough　financial　situation。　I　don't　like　consumer　debt。　I　actually　have　liabilities　that　are　higher　than　99　percent　of　the　population；　but　I　don't　pay　for　them；　other　people　pay　for　my　liabilities。　They're　called　tenants。　　So　rule　No。　1　in　paying　yourself　first　is　don't　get　into　debt　in　the　first　place。　Although　I　pay　my　bills　last；　I　set　it　up　to　have　only　small　unimportant　bills；　that　I　will　have　to　pay。
Secondly；　when　I　occasionally　come　up　short；　I　still　pay　myself　first。　I　let　the　creditors　and　even　the　government　scream。　I　like　it　when　they　get　tough。　Why？　Because　those　guys　do　me　a　favor。　They　inspire　me　to　i　go　out　and　create　more　money。　So　I　pay　myself　first；　invest　the　money；　and　let　the　creditors　yell。　I　generally　pay　them　right　away　anyway。　My　wife　and　I　have　excellent　credit。　We　just　don't　cave　into　the　pressure　and　spend　our　savings　or　liquidate　stocks　to　pay　for　consumer　debt。　That　is　not　too　financially　intelligent。
So　the　answer　is：

1。　Don't　get　into　large　debt　positions　that　you　have　to　pay　for。　　Keep　your　expenses　low。　Build　up　assets　first。　Then；　buy　the　big　house　or　nice　car。　Being　stuck　in　the　rat　race　is　not　intelligent。
2。　When　you　come　up　short；　let　the　pressure　build　and　don't　dip　into　your　savings　or　investments。　　Use　the　pressure　to　inspire　your　financial　genius　to　come　up　with　new　ways　of　making　more　money　and　then　pay　your　bills。　You　will　have　increased　your　ability　to　make　more　money　as　well　as　your　financial　intelligence。　；　：　So　many　times　I　have　gotten　into　financial　hot　water；　and　used　my　brain　to　create　more　income；　while　staunchly　defending　the　assets　in　my　asset　column。　My　bookkeeper　has　screamed　and　dived　for　cover；　but　I　was　like　a　good　trooper　defending　the　fort；　Fort　Assets。
Poor　people　have　poor　habits。　A　common　bad　habit　is　innocently　called　〃Dipping　into　savings。〃　The　rich　know　that　savings　are　only　used　to　create　more　money；　not　to　pay　bills。
I　know　that　sounds　tough；　but　as　I　said；　if　you're　not　tough　inside；　the　world　will　always　push　you　around　anyway。
If　you　do　not　like　financial　pressure；　then　find　a　formula　that　works　for　you。　A　good　one　is　to　cut　expenses；　put　your　money　in　the　bank；　pay　more　than　your　fair　share　of　income　tax；　buy　safe　mutual　funds　and　take　the　vow　of　the　average。　　But　this　violates　the　〃pay　yourself　first〃　rule。
The　rule　does　not　encourage　self…sacrifice　or　financial　abstinence。　It　doesn't　mean　pay　yourself　first　and　starve。　Life　was　meant　to　be　enjoyed。　If　you　call　on　your　financial　genius；　you　can　have　all　the　goodies　of　life；　get　rich　and　pay　bills；　without　sacrificing　the　good　life。　And　that　is　financial　intelligence。

6。　PAY　YOUR　BROKERS　WELL：　The　power　of　good　advice。　I　often　see　people　posting　a　sign　in　front　of　their　house　that　says；　〃For　Sale　by　Owner。〃　Or　I　see　on　TV　today　many　people　claiming　to　be　〃Discount　Brokers。〃
My　rich　dad　taught　me　to　take　the　opposite　tack。　He　believed　in　paying　professionals　well；　and　I　have　adopted　that　policy　also。　Today；　I　have　expensive　attorneys；　accountants；　real　estate　brokers　and　stockbrokers。　Why？　Because　if；　and　I　do　mean　if；　the　people　are　professionals；　their　services　should　make　you　money。　And　the　more　money　they　make；　the　more　money　I　make。
We　live　in　the　Information　Age。　Information　is　priceless。　A　good　broker　should　provide　you　with　information　as　well　as　take　the　time　to　educate　you。　I　have　several　brokers　who　are　willing　to　do　that　for　me。　Some　taught　me　when　I　had　little　or　no　money；　and　I　am　still　with　them　today。
What　I　pay　a　broker　is　tiny　in　comparison　with　what　kind　of　money　I　can　make　because　of　the　information　they　provide。　　I　love　it　when　my　real　estate　broker　or　stockbroker　makes　a　lot　of　money。　　Because　it　usually　means　I　made　a　lot　of　money。
A　good　broker　saves　me　time　in　addition　to　making　me　money…as　when　I　bought　the　piece　of　vacant　land　for　9；000　and　sold　it　immediately　for　over　25；000；　so　I　could　buy　my　Porsche　quicker。
A　broker　is　your　eyes　and　ears　to　the　market。　They're　there　every　day　so　I　do　not　have　to　be。　I'd　rather　play　golf。
Also；　people　who　sell　their　house　on　their　own　must　not　value　their　time　much。　Why　would　I　want　to　save　a　few　bucks　when　I　could　use　that　time　to　make　more　money　or　spend　it　with　those　I　love？　What　I　find　funny　is　that　so　many　poor　and　middle　class　people　insist　on　tipping　restaurant　help　15　to　20　percent　even　for　bad　service　and　complain　about　paying　a　broker　3　to　7　percent。　They　enjoy　tipping　people　in　the
expense　column　and　stiffing　people　in　the　asset　column。　That　is　not　financially　intelligent。
All　brokers　are　not　created　equal。　Unfortunately；　most　brokers　are　only　salespeople。　I　would　say　the　real　estate　salespeople　are　the　worst。
They　sell；　but　they　themselves　own　little　or　no　real　estate。　There　is　a　tremendous　difference　between　a　broker　who　sells　houses　and　a　broker　who　sells　investments。　And　that　is　true　for　stock；　bond；　mutual　fund　and　insurance　brokers　who　call　themselves　financial　planners。　As　in　the　fairy　tale；　you　kiss　a　lot　of　frogs　to　find　one　prince。　Just　remember　the　old　saying；　〃Never　ask　an　encyclopedia　salesperson　if　you　need　an　encyclopedia。〃
When　I　interview　any　paid　professional；　I　first　find　out　how　much　property　or　stocks　they　personally　own　and　what　percentage　they　pay　in　taxes。　And　that　applies　to　my　tax　attorney　as　well　as　my　accountant。　I　have　an　accountant　who　minds　her　own　business。　Her　profession　is　accounting；　but　her　business　is　real　estate。　I　used　to　have　an　accountant　that　was　a　small　business　accountant；　but　he　had　no　real　estate。　I　switched　because　we　did