Author name: Steve Burns

After a lifelong fascination with financial markets, Steve began investing in 1993 and trading his accounts in 1995. It was love at first trade. After more than 30 successful years in the markets, Steve now dedicates his time to helping traders improve their psychology and profitability. New Trader U offers an extensive blog resource with more than 4,000 original articles, online courses, and best-selling books covering various topics.

Dave Ramsey: 10 Things Poor People Waste Money On: Frugal Living Tips

Dave Ramsey: 10 Things Poor People Waste Money On: Frugal Living Tips

Personal Finance /

Dave Ramsey has spent decades teaching people how to escape the paycheck-to-paycheck trap. His message cuts through financial denial with surgical precision. He identifies ten specific money drains that keep people broke, regardless of income. These aren’t minor inconveniences. They’re wealth destroyers that compound over time, turning temporary setbacks into permanent poverty. Understanding these patterns […]

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5 Things the Wealthy Never Invest In or Buy (Avoid at All Costs)

5 Things the Wealthy Never Invest In or Buy (Avoid at All Costs)

Investing, Wealth /

Building wealth isn’t just about what you invest in. It’s equally about what you avoid. The self-made wealthy have spent years learning which purchases and investments quietly destroy financial progress, and they’ve deliberately removed them from their financial lives. The middle class often believes that wealth is built solely through income. But high-net-worth individuals know

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10 Secrets Self-Made Middle-Class Millionaires Don’t Tell You, According to Dave Ramsey

10 Secrets Self-Made Middle-Class Millionaires Don’t Tell You, According to Dave Ramsey

Millionaire, Wealth /

When most people picture a millionaire, they imagine someone who struck it rich overnight, inherited a fortune, or stumbled into some secret financial shortcut. The reality is far less glamorous and far more actionable. Dave Ramsey and his team at Ramsey Solutions conducted an extensive study of everyday millionaires, and what they found challenges nearly

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5 Frugal Living Tips That Really Work: Warren Buffett’s Money Saving Habits

5 Frugal Living Tips That Really Work: Warren Buffett’s Money Saving Habits

Personal Finance, Saving, Warren Buffett /

Most people assume that building real wealth requires a high income or a lucky break. The truth is far more straightforward and far less exciting. Warren Buffett, one of the wealthiest people on the planet, has spent decades proving that frugality is not about deprivation. It is about intention. Warren Buffett didn’t become frugal after

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If You Really Want to Grow Your Wealth, Stop Wasting Money on These 7 Things

If You Really Want to Grow Your Wealth, Stop Wasting Money on These 7 Things

Personal Finance, Wealth /

Most middle-class Americans believe they’re making wise financial decisions. They clip coupons, hunt for sales, and take pride in finding deals. Yet they struggle to build meaningful wealth. The problem isn’t what you think. Research by Thomas Stanley, over decades of studying millionaires, reveals that the wealthy don’t just spend less—they spend differently. Their priorities

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10 Things That Scream “I’m Pretending to Be Upper Class” (Middle-Class Behavior)

10 Things That Scream “I’m Pretending to Be Upper Class” (Middle-Class Behavior)

Personal Finance, Psychology /

The “Middle-Class Trap” is the phenomenon in which people try so hard to signal status that they end up revealing exactly where they actually sit on the economic ladder. Actual old money or upper-class behavior is often defined by discretion and utility, whereas pretending to be upper-class is usually determined by performance. The difference isn’t

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Warren Buffett: 7 Things Poor People Waste Money On

Warren Buffett: The 7 Things Poor People Waste Money On

Personal Finance, Warren Buffett /

Warren Buffett built a fortune worth billions while living in a modest Omaha home he bought in 1958 for $31,500. His wealth didn’t come from flashy purchases or risky gambles. It came from decades of disciplined decisions about where money should and shouldn’t go. The Oracle of Omaha’s approach to spending reveals uncomfortable truths about

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The 5 Biggest Middle-Class Habits Keeping You in the Rat Race

The 5 Biggest Middle-Class Habits Keeping People in the Rat Race

career, Personal Finance /

The path to wealth isn’t hidden behind complex investment strategies or secret financial formulas. The real barrier sits much closer to home, embedded in daily behaviors that most people never question. These habits feel responsible, safe, and socially acceptable, yet they systematically prevent the accumulation of meaningful wealth. Understanding these five patterns below isn’t about

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The 5 Greatest Wealth-Building Lessons That Changed My Life

The 5 Greatest Wealth-Building Lessons That Changed My Life

Investing, Personal Finance, Wealth /

Looking back on my journey from struggling trader to financial independence, I can pinpoint exactly when things changed. It wasn’t a single breakthrough or lucky trade. It was adopting five specific principles that most middle-class earners never learn. These lessons didn’t come from textbooks or financial advisors. They came from years of mistakes, studying successful

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5 Life Lessons Every Man Needs From The Art Of War by Sun Tzu

5 Life Lessons Every Man Needs From The Art Of War by Sun Tzu

Books, Success /

Sun Tzu’s The Art of War has survived 2,500 years not because it teaches battlefield tactics, but because it reveals fundamental truths about strategy, competition, and human nature. Written during China’s Warring States period, this ancient text offers principles that translate directly into modern challenges. Whether you’re negotiating a salary, building a business, or navigating

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5 Money Rules the Wealthy Follow That the Broke Can’t Even Understand

5 Money Rules the Wealthy Follow That the Broke Can’t Even Understand

Investing, Personal Finance, Wealth /

The gap between the wealthy and the broke isn’t just about income. It’s about operating under completely different mental models about how money actually works. The following five principles represent thinking patterns that the wealthy internalize early, that the financially struggling people never quite grasp. The difference isn’t intelligence; it’s perspective. 1. Cash Flow Beats

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5 Middle-Class Habits to Give Up if You Want to Be Successful

5 Middle-Class Habits to Give Up if You Want to Be Successful

Success, Wealth /

The middle class gets many things right. They save diligently, work hard, and follow conventional wisdom about career progression and financial responsibility. But there’s a paradox at the heart of middle-class financial behavior: the very habits that provide stability and social acceptance often cap long-term wealth building. Success and wealth don’t typically come from doing

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How To Always Watch Your Thoughts Using Stoic Principles

How To Always Watch Your Thoughts Using Stoic Principles

Psychology, Stoicism /

Your thoughts shape your life more than your circumstances ever will. The Stoics understood this truth centuries ago, teaching that events themselves hold no power over you. The real power lies in the judgments you form about those events. Watching your thoughts is the foundational Stoic skill. It’s not about positive thinking or mental suppression.

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5 Top Signs You’re Moving from Middle Class to Upper Class

5 Top Signs You’re Moving from Middle Class to Upper Class

Personal Finance, Success, Wealth /

A single promotion or windfall doesn’t mark the journey from middle class to upper class. It’s a gradual transformation in how you think about money, time, and opportunity. Most people miss the transition entirely because they’re looking for the wrong indicators. They focus on bigger paychecks rather than on fundamental shifts in financial behavior. The

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Net Worth and Income of the Wealthiest 20%, 10%, 5% & 1% In the U.S. (2026)

Net Worth and Income of the Wealthiest 20%, 10%, 5%, & 1% In the U.S. (2026)

Economics, Wealth /

Most Americans have a distorted view of what wealth actually looks like in the United States. They assume a comfortable six-figure income automatically places them among the financial elite, or they believe millionaire status is reserved for an impossibly small group. The reality of wealth distribution in 2026 tells a different story, one that reveals

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Take Care of Yourself First: The 5 Stoic Rules of Self-Discipline

Take Care of Yourself First: The 5 Stoic Rules of Self-Discipline

Psychology, Stoicism /

Self-discipline isn’t about punishment or deprivation. It’s about building the internal strength to act according to reason rather than impulse. The Stoics understood this centuries ago, and their principles remain the most practical framework for developing genuine self-control. Taking care of yourself first doesn’t mean selfishness. It means preparing yourself to handle difficulty, resist outside

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10 Skills You Must Master To Become Wealthy

10 Skills You Must Master To Become Wealthy

Business, Wealth /

Building substantial wealth requires more than a high salary. It demands a specific combination of skills that successful entrepreneurs, investors, and high earners consistently demonstrate. These aren’t just technical abilities but also behavioral patterns and mindsets that compound over time. The path to wealth involves mastering skills that generate income, preserve capital, and multiply resources

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10 Lessons 99 Percent of Middle-Class People Learn a Bit Too Late in Life

10 Lessons 80 Percent of Middle-Class People Learn a Bit Too Late in Life

Success /

Most middle-class households follow the same playbook. Work hard, pay bills on time, save when possible, and hope for a comfortable retirement. Yet across the country, millions of people reach their 50s and 60s with the same regret: “I wish I’d figured this out sooner.” These lessons aren’t secrets. They’re principles that wealth builders understood

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5 Smart Purchases That Actually Make You Wealthier (Backed by Math)

5 Smart Purchases That Actually Make You Wealthier (Backed by Math)

Success, Wealth /

Most purchases make you poorer the moment you buy them. Your new car loses value as you drive it off the lot. Your designer clothes depreciate immediately. That expensive vacation leaves you with photos and memories, but an emptier bank account. However, certain purchases operate differently. They generate returns that compound over time, creating wealth

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