Welcome to
I Will Teach
You To Be Rich
Hi. I'm Ramit.
I started this site in 2004 while I was studying technology and psychology at Stanford. Since I came from a middle-class family, the only way I could afford college was to pay my own way. That’s when I built a system to apply to 60+ scholarships. My hard work paid off and I earned enough to attend undergrad and grad school at Stanford. But when I got my first scholarship check, I invested it in the stock market…and immediately lost half my money. Oops.
That’s when I decided to learn how money really worked.
Remember that book, The Emperor Has No Clothes? I realized most money advice was irrelevant for people like you and me:
- Most money advice is about restriction. “No, you can’t buy lattes. No, you can’t go on vacation. No, you can’t buy a new pair of jeans. Save your money and wait until you’re 80…then you can use it.” No thanks.
- Money is too confusing. 401(K)s, HSAs, FSAs, asset allocation, expense ratios, P/E ratios, estate taxes…where are you supposed to start? And who do you trust?
- Nobody was talking about money psychology. You can have the “perfect” Excel model…but still feel scared of getting started. That’s because money is about more than math — it’s about psychology.
Fast forward to today. What I believe now.
Buy all the lattes you want.
A $5 coffee is not going to change your financial life. But learning how to automatically invest, how to select the right asset allocation, and how to negotiate a $15,000 raise will. I believe in asking $30,000 questions, not $3 questions.
Your Rich Life is yours.
A rich life can be picking up your kids everyday from school. Or buying a $1,000 cashmere sweater. It can be buying a round of drinks for your friends, or traveling for 8 weeks per year. You decide. Your Rich Life is yours.
There’s a limit to how much you can cut, but no limit to how much you can earn.
I have readers who earn $50,000/year and ones who earn $750,000/year. We’ve helped tens of thousands of people earn more money by negotiating their salaries, investing, and starting businesses.
Spend extravagantly on the things you love, as long as you cut costs mercilessly on the things you don’t.
I don’t believe in cutting back on lattes. In fact, I want you to spend more on the things you love. What if you could double your spending on travel, or eating out, convenience, or charity? I call those Money Dials and I’ll show you how.
The 85% Solution: Getting started is more important than becoming an expert.
You don’t need to be perfect to take control of your money. It’s OK to make mistakes. Get 85% of the way there and move on with your life.
Investing should be very boring—and very profitable—over the long term.
I get more excited eating tacos than checking my investment returns.
You’re in control. This isn’t a Disney movie and nobody’s coming to rescue you.
Fortunately, you can take control of your finances and build your Rich Life.
Money is political.
You can simultaneously acknowledge personal responsibility and real systemic problems. This is a core part of the I Will Teach You To Be Rich philosophy. Housing is political. Healthcare is political. Voting rights are political. If you’re looking for bland tips on cutting coupons, this site is not for you.
I consider it a tragedy to live a smaller life than you have to.
So many of us have been raised to believe that money is something to be scared of. We use phrases like “I’m not good with money” or “Money changes people.” Yes, money does change people. Money allowed me to dream bigger, to be more generous, and to be more adventurous. It can do the same for you.
A Rich Life is lived outside the spreadsheet.
What’s the point of all this saving and investing if you’re simply going to wait until you’re 80 to live? No thanks. I believe that once you’ve set up your finances, you’ll see that the most important part of a Rich Life is outside the spreadsheet—it involves relationships, new experiences, and giving back. You earned it.
What you'll find at I Will Teach You To Be Rich
This site started out of my college dorm room, but we now have a worldwide community of people who want to create their Rich Lives, their way. Inside you’ll find –
-
Our best free advice on money, starting a business, careers, and living your Rich Life
We give away 98% of our material and aim to make it even better than others’ paid stuff. I prohibit anyone with credit card debt from joining my premium material, a decision that costs me millions of dollars per year. If you have credit card debt, please use our free material to pay off your debt. When you’re ready, come back. We’ve been here since 2004 and we’ll be waiting for you.
-
The proven program over 30,000 people have used to start a successful business
There's a limit to how much you can cut but no limit to how much you can earn. The fastest way to earn more is with your own business. Whether it's a few extra hours a month or if you want to build your own empire - we've got the proven system that shows you how to do it every step of the way.
-
Your personalized Rich Life system
Unlike most personal finance programs which focus on financial minutiae and never even think about actually enjoying your money or your life, our programs begin and end with YOUR Rich Life. We'll introduce you to your personalized Rich Life System, the Rich Life community, Monthly Coaching Calls, and the Rich Life Library.
-
The path to your dream career
We'll show you the step by step process to find a career that pays you more, lets you work where you want, and makes you excited to go to work again.