My Honest Advice To Someone Who Wants Financial Freedom

No trust fund? No rich parents?

🖥️ Reading time: 5 minutes

Guess you’re just destined to grind forever… right?
Wrong.

Financial freedom isn’t about luck, six-figure salaries or winning the lottery. It’s about following a clear, repeatable plan — one that works even if you’re starting at $0.

This five-step roadmap will take you from zero to financial independent hero. If you’re serious about building a life with more freedom, fewer bills, and zero bank-app anxiety?

Start here. 👇

📍 Step 1: Find Your Freedom Number

Let’s start with the basics: how much money do you actually need to stop working? That’s your Freedom Number.

It’s different for everyone — it depends on your lifestyle. For me, $3,000–$4,000 per month covered what I cared about: dog toys for Domino, gym gear, and dinner with friends.

🔢 How to Calculate Your Number:

1. List your ideal yearly expenses: Housing, transportation, travel, utilities, food, health insurance, fun, etc.
2. Multiple that total by 25
3. That's your Freedom Number. 

That’s the goal — your Freedom Number. But don’t worry - with smart investing and income strategies, it becomes way more realistic.

Pro Tip: This exercise also reveals hidden money leaks (like overpriced car insurance). Before you hit the renew button, check out my free car insurance comparison tool.

💡 Step 2: Spend Smarter — Not Just Less

No, you don't need to give up coffee. You need bigger wins.

Here’s how I did it:

• I drove the same Honda Accord for 13 years. No car payment. Low insurance.
• I bought generic brands. Paper towels are paper towels.
• I had roommates well into my 30s. Call it house hacking or just being smart — it saved me thousands.

Pro Tip: You don’t need to sacrifice joy. Focus on spending money intentionally, not obsessively.

💳 Step 3: Use Credit Cards (the Right Way)

Credit cards aren’t evil — they’re tools. And when you use them well, they’ll save you money over time.

Here are my 3 golden rules:

1. Keep usage under 10% of your limit.
2. Pay on time — always.
3. Pay the balance in full every month.
   
   

This builds credit, avoids fees, and scores you better rates on big-ticket stuff like mortgages.

Pro Tip: If you’re going to have a credit card, choose one that works for your lifestyle and take advantage of the perks, such as store discounts, money-back offers, and reward points. Check out my fave credit cards.

💼 Step 4: Increase Skills to Increase Income

At some point, you can’t save your way to freedom - you’ve got to earn more, and that means building valuable skills.

I started by tutoring after school. That turned into a six-figure business.

You can start with:

• Freelancing
• Content creation
• Coaching
• Selling digital products
• Affiliate marketing

And don’t say “I don’t have skills.” If you’ve watched YouTube or used ChatGPT, then you have the tools to learn the trade. Most side hustles today cost zero to start.

Pro Tip: Want more passive income ideas? Watch this video here.

📈 Step 5: Invest Regularly (and Keep It Simple)

If you want financial freedom, saving isn’t enough. You’ve got to make your money grow.

Here’s how I invest:

• Automatically deposit and invest in low-cost S&P 500 ETFs
• Use platforms like Fidelity or Schwab
• Don’t check it every day — just set it and grow

Historically, the S&P 500 returns 7–12% annually. Even after inflation, that’s powerful. That’s how you build wealth quietly and consistently.

🎯 Final Thoughts

Financial freedom isn’t just about retiring early or sipping smoothies on a beach. For me, it’s peace of mind. It’s not having to panic when the car breaks down or how to cover that unexpected hospital bill.

I got here from $6.25/hour jobs, student debt, and tutoring after my full-time job, so trust me — if I can do it, so can you.

👉 Ready to start?
Grab my free investing cheat sheet, watch my beginner’s ETF video, and take the next small step.

✅ Check out my car insurance comparison tool 

✅ Take advantage of my FREE Financial Freedom Faster eBook

✅ Get in touch

Let’s get to work. 💪

—Steve

Disclaimer:

The following article is strictly the opinion of the author and is not to be considered financial/investment advice. CTL Community LLC and the author of this article do not claim to be a registered financial advisor (RIA) or financial advisor. Please visit our terms of service and privacy policy before reading this article.  "Call to Leap may earn affiliate commissions from the links mentioned. Call to Leap is part of an affiliate network and receives compensation for sending traffic to partner sites such as ImpactRadius, CardRatings, MyBankTracker, and more."