Review Of Ordinary People, Extraordinary Wealth

The concept of ordinary people, extraordinary wealth almost seems like a contradiction to some.

I remember as a child asking my mother if she had ever been to Hollywood, and her replying “oh sure,” as if someone like her would ever have the means to visit Hollywood. My mother is an ordinary person and doesn’t run with the rich and famous.

The reality, though, is that my mother or anyone else could keep up with the more affluent if they so desired. Far from a fantasy, the idea of regular people gaining great wealth is something anyone can achieve.

That’s the theme of Ric Edelman’s book of the same title, “Ordinary People, Extraordinary Wealth: The 8 Secrets of How 5,000 Ordinary Americans Became Successful Investors And How You Can Too.”

Edelman meticulously studied the lifestyles of 5,000 ordinary people for this book to determine how they became wealthy. Believe it or not, someone didn’t do another study on how to lose weight and still eat all you want or how democracy has helped shape the world.

Instead, Edleman set out in his wealth building research book to share the secrets those individuals shared with him. Along the way, Edelman encountered individuals who never really set out to be wealthy.

But the book points out that while these individuals never set out to be rich, simple steps by them resulted in extraordinary wealth. Everyone has to learn from the experts, right? That’s why lawyers teach in law schools, former journalists are hired by colleges, engineers create consulting firms, etc.

The same holds true for seeking the advice of experts on achieving wealth. But, as noted earlier, the people in “Ordinary People, Extraordinary Wealth” are not professionals (at least as it pertains to finances). Instead, they are average people struggling to make a living who found a way to beat the rat race.

Edelman shares eight simple rules in his book that anyone can use to achieve wealth. Among the advice offered in the book:

* Homeowners need to learn how to make their mortgages work for them. Too many homeowners in our society barely meet minimum payments each month and become financial slaves to their mortgages.

* Wealth building is a lifestyle and not something individuals do and then pay little regard to later. Just as getting and staying fit depends on a continued regimen of diet and exercise, the same applies to realizing wealth and maintaining that status.

* Ways to get the most out of employee retirement plans.

* The importance of keeping up with financial news, along with knowing how to discern what is relevant and what is unimportant. Like many Americans today who pay little or no attention to politics, too many Americans have become unconcerned with financial issues and thus are unaware of how they could affect them both positively and detrimentally.

“Ordinary People, Extraordinary Wealth” serves as the roadmap for getting and staying out of debt, along with achieving a lifestyle most only dream about. What is important, though, is that it includes the wisdom of average people no different than its readers.

Review Of Ordinary People, Extraordinary Wealth