Jaspreet Singh’s Paycheck Strategy: 5 Ways To Save, Invest and Build Wealth Fast
Written by
Ashley Donohoe
Edited by
Cory Dudak
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According to the Federal Reserve’s latest Economic Well-Being of U.S. Households report, 49% of Americans said their monthly spending was equal to or more than their monthly earnings. This trend was common even at higher income levels.
In a YouTube video, personal finance expert Jaspreet Singh explained, “It’s not your income that will determine if you become wealthy or not — it’s what you do with your income.” Here are five things he suggested doing with each paycheck so you have money left to build your wealth.
Systemize Your Money
Rather than using their paychecks strategically, many people get into the routine of spending whatever they earn. That’s why Singh recommended a three-bucket setup that ensures you allocate a portion of your income to different purposes.
His system involves having three separate bank accounts for spending, investing and saving, and using automatic transfers between them. Singh said you should use no more than 75% of your pay to cover your spending, and invest at least 15% while saving at least 10%.
He added that savings should include three months to one year of expenses. While the target amount will depend on your life situation and responsibilities, having even three months of emergency savings would put you ahead of 54% of Americans, according to a recent FINRA Foundation report.
Get a Raise
Singh said, “The mistake that so many people make is they assume that if I make more money, all my financial problems will be solved.” When your paycheck goes up, you might find yourself paying for more things, like a new car or a fancy vacation, even if you originally intended to invest or save some money. As a result, you could end up living paycheck to paycheck even on a higher income.
Following Singh’s three-bucket system helps you avoid that problem, and you may find that you use less than 75% of your higher paycheck for expenses. You could then redirect more money to investments that accelerate building wealth.
As for getting a raise, Singh recommended providing specific examples of your value as an employee, such as extra duties you’ve taken on that help the company’s bottom line. He also discussed side gigs as another way to make extra money.
Be Smart About Debt
While some financial experts recommend prioritizing debt repayment over investing, Singh takes a more situational approach that considers your financial position and debt type.
If you have high-interest debt, like credit cards, paying it off first is usually wise. Singh said the average annual stock market return is around 10%, which you can compare to the 21.16% average credit card rate reported by the Federal Reserve. He added that a 0% APR offer might help you save money while you pay it off, but do consider balance transfer fees.
If you have a mortgage or another type of lower-rate debt, Singh said you’ll need to weigh the risk of uncertain investment returns against the guaranteed return of debt payoff. You might be willing to accept that risk if it means you can grow wealth more quickly.
Invest Your Money Wisely
While you might feel tempted to put your money where you think you can get a fast, high return, Singh described that idea as more like gambling than investing, which isn’t as exciting. He explained, “Investing is taking less risk, but working to strategically grow that money year after year after year, decade after decade after decade.”
One option Singh recommended was S&P 500 exposure funds, which are less risky than putting your money in a single stock that could decline quickly. The idea is to consistently buy these funds based on your chosen frequency — such as weekly to monthly — regardless of the current market.
Singh also said you could research companies, industries and stocks to find specific opportunities. However, keep the long term in mind, be aware of the risk and avoid emotional decisions that could lead to losing your money.
Be Smart About Spending
Maximizing your wealth requires rethinking your spending. Singh explained that you shouldn’t live beyond your means or take out debt for purchases that won’t generate income and actually can make you more broke, such as a car. He also highlighted his “rule of five” for luxury purchases: “That is, if I can’t buy five of them, I can’t afford one of them.”
If you stick to the maximum 75% spending target and use cash, you have a better chance of avoiding losing money to interest and staying on track with investing. Singh said the goal is to eventually have enough invested so that you can afford what you want without concerns.
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