Do you know what’s the one thing rich people buy and the poor and middle class don’t? Most people think that rich people buy all those luxuries. They see it on social media like Facebook and Youtube.

Rich people seem to have all these nice things like expensive watches and fancy cars. They stay in luxury hotels and have huge houses.

When you see these things, that’s what rich people have. But actually, it’s not what got them there. That’s a very important distinction.

So what do rich people actually buy? How do they get rich? What do they have that others don’t?

Well, here’s the list of some of the things that are important to the rich.

Assets

So, the number one thing that rich people buy and others might not is assets. And what is an asset?

Well, an asset is anything of value or a resource of value that can be converted into cash. It is something that brings you money in, so it is an income-producing asset.

Ao assets are things you buy, that produce you an income. For example, an asset could be a real piece of real estate or an apartment building. It could also be a company, stocks – any kind of investment that would put money in their pocket.

Rich people buy such things regularly. That’s why they stay rich.

The poor and the middle class, on the other hand, buy something else. They actually buy liabilities.

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Rich People Buy Assets, Poor People Buy Liabilities

If you read Robert Kiyosaki’s “Rich Dad, Poor Dad” you will see how he explains it. If you read the book, then you know the clear definition and difference between assets and liabilities.

According to him, assets are things that put money in your pocket.

But the middle class mostly buys liabilities. Even, for example, their primary home. They think it’s an asset but it’s actually a liability.

Assets are supposed to make you money while you sleep. Liabilities, however, cost you money. Assets feed you and liabilities eat you.

So, the poor and the middle class usually have little or no assets at all. But, they have a lot of liabilities. Basic items like their home, their car and so on – they buy them but those things don’t earn them anything back.

Rich people buy assets first. Then, with the money that comes from them, they finance their luxuries. So when you see rich people having all the fancy luxuries, they buy that from the money that the asset produced for them.

So why is this? Well. rich people think very differently when it comes to money. Instead of saying “this is too expensive, I can’t afford it.” Rich people will ask themselves – “how can I afford it?”

That’s fundamentally different from how most other people think. In everyday life, others often complain about everything being too expensive. But, to simply say it’s too expensive is a poor person’s mentality.

Most rich people dig even deeper. They ask themselves “how can I make this to make me money?” They invest their money strategically and get huge returns.
Learn From The Rich

So, if you want to be a rich person you have to manage your money as they do. That means, before you buy liabilities, you need to buy the asset first.

Let’s look at Dan Lok’s Bentley for example. Dan could have just bought it anytime. The moment he started making money, he could have done it. But instead, he waited a bit.

Dan Lok bought an asset that would make him the money first. In his case, that was a real piece of real estate. He knew this asset would pay the monthly payment of his liability – his Bentley in this case.

If he’d just bought the Bentley right away, he would have to pay it from his own pocket.

But this way he had the asset first and have that pay for his liability.  Even if he decides to change cars later, guess what? He still has the asset that’s working for him and he doesn’t have to worry.

Don’t get us wrong – rich people very well buy nice things. They just don’t buy out of their pocket. They invest first and make sure that whatever they buy will be paid for with the investments they make.

So, if we had to define a rich person, the definition would actually be very easy: A rich person is an entrepreneur who invests.

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For every dollar they spend, they calculate with some kind of return. If they buy liabilities, they do so very aware. They are very conscious of their decisions.

So, remember  – assets – that’s the number one thing that rich people buy.
What Kind Of Assets Do People Invest In?

It is important to mention that when we define assets, we don’t do it as accountants do. Our definition is actually quite different.

We’re talking about what rich people really have that generates them income. This income generation part is what makes the difference.

So, what are some examples of assets we have in mind:

    Business: while poor people only have a job, the rich have a business. They benefit from the work of all their employees.
    Arts & Antiques: For this asset class you have to be very knowledgeable. But if you are, it can get you a great return on investment.
    Real Estate: This is the most popular asset class among the rich. There are many different types from residential to commercial properties. There are also tons of different strategies. Why do so many rich people invest in real estate? Because the banks love it. It’s tangible and secure.
    Paper assets – like bonds and stocks: Those are long term investments. You buy them in the hopes that they are worth more later. Paper assets can be turned into money quite easily.
    Intellectual properties – like trademarks and copyright: They have a low maintenance fee and you can lend them to other people. That’s why Dan Lok personally likes these kinds of assets.
    Precious metals – silver, gold, and platinum: Rich people like to have their money in gold because it’s recession-proof.
    Attention and Audience: This is a very new asset class. In the online world, attention is a new currency. It gets you, new customers. But even the richest people tend to overlook this asset.

But, let us give you one more tip.

There is actually one more thing that rich people by while the poor and middle class don’t.

Can you guess what it is?

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Rich People Buy Time

Rich people buy time. Poor people sell time. Click To Tweet

If you are an employee, you are selling your time. You get paid based on the number of hours you work. So, you exchange your time for money. Most people think in weekly or monthly payments.

Rich people, however, don’t think like that. They buy time because time is the one thing you can’t replace.

The time you take to read this article –  that time is gone…you can’t replace it.

Other things are replaceable. Customers, employees, even money is replaceable. Time isn’t. Nobody can manufacture more time.

If we have time, we can always make more money. If we lack time, we can’t.

That’s why rich people are aware that time is the most valuable commodity. And that’s also why rich people hate it if somebody is wasting their time. It’s worse than stealing money from them.

You see, if you’re a rich person, you can always get the money back. Even if you were to lose everything you have now, you can always get it back.

But the minute you waste? Can you get it back? If you use your time wisely, you can use it to make a lot of money.

So, rich people buy time, talents, people that can help them and people that can save their time.

The rich are very aware of the value of time and it is the one thing they try to protect and invest in.
Value Your Time

Dan Lok once visited a pretty successful CEO. His company was probably making 20-30 million dollars a year. When Dan Lok visited his office, he couldn’t believe my eyes.

The minute he got there, he could see the CEO mowing lawns in front of his office! Seeing this told Dan that this CEO doesn’t value his time.

Naturally, Dan wondered – couldn’t he have found better things to do? Better ways to invest his time? Find a better way to utilize his talents? It made no sense.

So think about it – do you also do this kind of stuff instead of spending time investing in and growing your talents and your assets?

The next time you spend two hours cleaning your home or mowing your lawn, do a very basic calculation. Let’s see an example.

First, find out how much your hour is currently worth. Maybe right now your hour is worth $50 or $100. That would mean, when you spend two precious hours doing household chores, you lose $200. Is that really worth it?

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So, for example, if you decide to watch a movie for two hours, the movie won’t just cost you 20 dollars. It will cost you much more because you could have been doing something else with that time.

You can still enjoy watching movies and do so sometimes. But you have to be aware of how much it actually costs you to invest this time. Before you watch anything,  it might be good to ask yourself if the experience is worth that kind of money.

Often, it’s worth it. It’s time that you actually spend with family so most people are willing to pay that. But make sure to do so very consciously. Most people aren’t aware of where their time goes. If you think about it that way, you will be more present in the moment.

So, before you do something, calculate if it’s worth your time. What kind of amazing results could you produce, if you invested your time differently? Or, better yet, ask yourself – how can I maximize the use of my time?

To do this, you have to prioritize and understand how you value your time. If you don’t value your time, you are not going to be successful. This is simple – if you don’t value your time, then others won’t value it either.

Bill Gates, for example, has his calender in 6-minute increments – and he is a billionaire. My mentor Dan Pena is scheduling his day in 15-minute increments. They all think about how they manage and invest their time and they do not spend too much time on anything.

So when you admire millionaires, don’t just look at what they have. The fancy car and so on do not mean anything.

Look at how they got there in the first place. Look at what they do to stay there too. The fancy car and luxury home do not keep them rich. It is not what they have – it’s what they do.
Rich People Are Patient

There is one more thing you have to be aware of that makes rich people stand out from others.

You see, most people working hard to become rich, fall into a common trap that most people run into.

It usually goes something like this: You work hours and hours and suddenly you make a bit of money. We’re not talking about a lot of money, but you manage to make some. You look at your bank account, and it looks pretty decent.

So, at that point, you (and most other people) might think: “Damn, I worked so hard. I waited 20, 30, 40 years for that…I want that rich life NOW.” And what then?

Then you go and spend your money. You decide to treat yourself and spend the money on things that you believe will make you happy. So there you go, like most other people, spending money on luxuries. Most people think that will make them look and feel rich.

But the truth is –  this makes people poor. They spend money on things that “eat” it. They put the money in a fancy car and they never see it again. It’s lost.

So, when you see rich people having nice things, you only see the surface level – the outcome.

Instead, you should look at the process of how they got rich. Again, you would realize, they buy the asset first.

If you are insecure and controlled by the ego, suddenly you want to show the world that you “made it”. But all you do is look rich, instead of being rich.

So what happens here is that you don’t “make it” – you only make yourself poor – probably poorer than before.

This is why you need that self-discipline and self-control to make yourself by the assets first. Once you have that you can get all the luxuries you want. After all, the asset pays for whatever you want.

So it’s okay to buy what you like, but only if you have assets that make you money to spend. It doesn’t “cost” you because your investments are feeding you.

Buying whatever you want is the result. It doesn’t happen overnight. So look at the process beyond the surface.

That’s why rich people not only master their money and time, they also master themselves.
Avoid Liabilities

If you want to be rich, you have to think and act like a rich person. And the first and most important step is: avoid buying liabilities until your assets can pay for them.

Until you get money back from your assets, stay clear from purchases such as luxury brands, impulse buys, video games, fancy cars, and expensive homes.

For now, those things only cost you money and don’t give you any ROI – Return on Investment. Video games can be nice but they also eat away a lot of your time. They give you a lousy ROI and ROTI – Return on Time Investment.

So, for example, looking at your home – sometimes it’s wiser to rent instead of buying right away. This way you invest money in other things and once you have assets that give you a good return on investment, you can buy what you like.

Again, you want to be very conscious of your choices.
Find Out What The Rich Want To Keep From You

If you read this article this far, chances are you are serious about becoming rich.

Dan Lok has collected all his knowledge as a self-made entrepreneur and created tools to help others step up their game too. If you are serious about becoming rich, then you have to start with a mindset change and combine it with improvements in your actions and your skills.

The best way to do that is to learn from those who have already done it. Learn the secrets of success from the people who are successful. This is why Dan Lok has created a toolbox for those interested in understanding the mindset secrets of the rich.

Dan’s controversial yet highly effective money habits will open your eyes to the truth about what it actually takes to accumulate a tremendous amount of wealth. Click here to order Millionaire Money Habits now.