Welcome to reThinkable – my Sunday newsletter where I share actionable money tips, strategies, and resources to help you make smarter money moves.
Read time: 3.5 minutes
Hey {{ name | friend }},
This week has been WILD.
In last week’s newsletter, I talked about how Trump’s proposed tariffs could impact your wallet.
Then on March 4th, Trump’s proposed tariffs on Mexico and Canada officially went into effect. However, as of March 6th, he appears to be walking back on some of his tariff decisions.
There’s a lot of uncertainty right now but what I am certain of is the answer to one question I always get:
“Vincent, can I build wealth even though I don’t make a ton of money?”
YES! And let me prove it to you.
The #1 ingredient for wealth
If you woke up this morning and took a breath (which I’m 99.7% sure you did), you already have the #1 ingredient needed to build wealth.
Many people think that to invest, you have to be like Gordon Gekko in the movie Wall Street.
That you need luxurious clothes, a Master’s degree in Finance, a few hundred thousand dollars in the bank, and live in a fancy high-rise penthouse.
But the truth is, even if you’re sitting on the couch with your old PJ’s and $73 in “fun money,” you can end up wealthier than someone earning $150,000+ a year.
Here’s the proof:
Let’s say you have an identical twin.
If you started investing at 25, you start putting in $5,000 a year and keep it up for 10 years. At 35, you stop and just let your investment grow. In total, you invested $50,000 of your own money.
On the other hand, your twin waited until 35 to start investing. To make up for lost time, your twin goes all in, investing $5,000 a year for 30 years straight. In total, your twin invested $150,000 of their own money.
Who do you think will have more money when they’re both 65?
Your twin is convinced it’s them. They contributed so much money, but guess what?
Your portfolio’s value at 65: $429,947
Your twin’s portfolio value at 65: $424,008
Even though your twin invested 3x more money than you, you’re the one who ends up wealthier. This is because time is more valuable than the money you invest.
Also if you’re currently 45 or 65, don’t worry. The point of this isn’t to make you feel like you missed out.
The point is to show you that time in the market matters more than the amount of money you invest. So even if you’re on the older side, you’ll be WAY better off if you start investing now rather than later.
How to invest on a budget
1. Get over the mental barrier
When most people think of millionaires, they think of tech geniuses or trust fund kids… but that’s the exception, not the rule.
The National Study of Millionaires found that 79% of millionaires built their wealth from scratch—no big inheritance, no lucky break.
75% of millionaires said that regular, consistent investing was the key to their success.
And here’s the kicker: 70% never made more than $100k a year. We’re talking teachers, engineers, accountants—regular people with regular jobs.
Regular people without tons of cash CAN get rich and that’s what I’m here to teach you.
2. Turn budget cuts into capital
Investing $10,000 a year might feel impossible if you’re trying to invest on a budget.
But investing with $1,000, $500, $100, even $20 is way better than not starting at all.
So ask yourself, what are some quick tiny ways you can cut expenses?
Are you using all of your streaming subscriptions?
Are you shopping with a grocery list to keep you from impulse buying?
Are you keeping track of all the “little treats” you buy (coffee, matcha, ice cream)?
Are you paying for convenience when a little planning could save you serious cash? (like buying a $20 salad because you didn’t bring lunch from home to work).
Do you really need all the clothes in your online cart?
When you start cutting these expenses, don’t think of that saved money as “savings.” Categorizing them as savings makes it easier to spend elsewhere. Say you cancel Netflix and save $15 a month, but then you decide to treat yourself to an extra coffee and a snack the next day… poof, that money’s gone.
Instead, reframe it: every dollar you cut goes straight into your investment fund, not your “fun money” stash.
3. Get started in 3…2….1…..
Investing may seem super complicated but it doesn’t have to be.
The best time to start investing was yesterday. The next best time is today.
If you’re interested in learning, I created a free 5-Day E-mail Investing Course where I’ll teach you:
How to invest without feeling overwhelmed
How to protect your money from losses
The system to achieve financial freedom
No gimmicks, just straight facts.
To making smarter money moves,
— Vincent Chan
Cool things I found this week
Smart Money Tip of the Week: 5 books to read to build wealth
Uber is charging you an additional fee. Here’s how you can avoid it.
1 in 7 people have unclaimed cash from forgotten bank accounts, uncased checks, insurance payouts etc. Check here to see if you have unclaimed money.
Vincent Chan
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