Who would want to live like a millionaire?
Well, pretty much anyone who has a taste for the finer things in life. The problem is that those finer things can get quite expensive. That gives you three choices when it comes to living the good life.
You can become a millionaire, not as easy as it sounds. You can go into debt, not a good long term idea. Or, you can learn some hacks to make millionaire luxuries more affordable. Here are some tips to help you do that.
Millionaire Housing
If you are old enough, you might remember “Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous”. It was a hugely popular show that gave us poor folks an idea of what it was like to be super rich. A tour of those beautiful homes, made many of us desire to live like the rich in their marble and gold masterpieces. You can actually get a taste of this life, if you are smart with your housing.
One way to do that is to live smaller. This might seem a contradiction, but a smaller home for the same mortgage or rent will have better amenities. The money saved on space can go towards the build out with things such as stainless appliances, granite countertops and even scraped hardwood floors. You can do a lot more with a smaller home, on the same dime.
Another option is to choose your location carefully. This is easier than ever to do these days with remote work spaces becoming more of the norm. There is no denying that 500,000 dollars can buy you a palace in Arkansas and a shack in Los Angeles. If you can afford to move to a cheaper cost of living location, it can give you a taste of the millionaire lifestyle, on a dime.
Millionaire Food
Have a taste for some of the finer foods? They can actually be within reach, even if you can not afford to pay 200 dollars for you and your significant other to dine. The trick is cooking the meals yourself.
While cooking your own food may not be the same thing as dining at a fancy restaurant, the savings from doing your own prep can allow you to buy the expensive ingredients and enjoy similar meals to what the rich are eating. Yes, it takes skill to cook like a top chef, but with some practice and the help of YouTube, anything is possible.
Millionaire Cars
But what about all of those high end luxury cars that you see those rich millionaires driving? How can you get one or two of them in your driveway? You can do so by being patient.
All of those high end cars will eventually hit the used market, where you can pick them up for a fraction of the cost of new. Even better is the fact that most of these cars will be impeccably taken care of. A millionaire does not do there own maintenance, and that means that these vehicles hitting the used market have been professionally maintained their entire life. What this means to you is that they have a lot of life left in them.
If you want to drive a vehicle like the rich, just buy their vehicles when they are done with them.
Millionaire Vacations
Lastly, what about those fancy vacations and excursions that the rich always seem to be taking? Can you really get the money you need to travel like the super rich? Sure you can, or at least you can come close.
The trick here is being flexible with your times and location. The super rich can pick and choose where they go, but you will have to take what you can get, when you can get it. That does not make these vacations any less enjoyable however.
Discount airline tickets and Groupon are your friend here. Make it a habit to frequent travel websites and websites of airlines that frequently discount their rates. Southwest Airlines is a major source of cheap airfare, with their “Wanna Get Away” deals. You can often find round trip fairs for under $100, just as long as you are not picky about where you go.
Once you have a destination, turn to Groupon to plan your excursions and meals. There are always dozens of local businesses offering drastically reduced rates on everything from theatrical shows to steak dinners. Take full advantage and you can vacation on a dime.
To Wrap Up
As you can see, you truly can get a small taste of the good life on a limited budget. You just need to make smart decisions, get creative and be ready to take advantage of opportunities when they arise.
