June Series Part 1: Paycheck-to-Paycheck is Optional: How to Build Wealth Without a Finance Degree
đź’ STILL BROKE WITH A FAT PAYCHECK?
Let’s cut through the noise.
You can be making $80K, $100K, even $120K a year in the trades… and still feel like you’re suffocating financially.
That’s not just frustrating — it’s insulting. Because you’re not lazy. You’re not dumb. And you sure as hell aren’t underpaid by trade school standards.
But guess what? Wealth has nothing to do with how much you earn.It has everything to do with what you do with it.
This newsletter is the first in a 4-part series breaking down how to escape the cycle — with real steps, in plain English, built for people who work with their hands.
🔥 WHY YOU’RE STUCK (AND WHY IT’S NOT YOUR FAULT)
If you’re like most tradespeople, you got a crash course in tools, safety, and jobsite politics — but not one damn lesson in money.
You were told:
· Work hard and you’ll be fine.
· Get a good job and buy the house.
· Save a little and retire later.
But here’s what they didn’t say:
“If you don’t learn how to make your money work harder than you do, you’ll be stuck on the same damn ladder till your knees give out.”
📉 YOUR REAL CHECKLIST (NOT THE BS ONE FROM INSTAGRAM)
Let’s get tactical. Here are the first 3 wealth moves that every tradesperson should make
1. Cash Cushion: Your First $10K is Sacred.
Before investing a dime, build an buffer emergency fund
· 3–6 months of expenses
· Kept in a high-yield savings account or money market fund
· Make it untouchable except for emergencies*
“The emergency fund is not there to make you money, it’s there to cover your butt when things go bad … and [protects] other things that make you rich.” – Dave Ramsey .
Basically, it keeps you from falling off the financial cliff, buys you time and freedom. Learn more on his website for a quick guide to emergency fund and how to decide what counts as an emergency:
Quick Link to Dave's Quick Guide
2. Get Paid Like a Business (Not a Boy Scout)
You’re not “just a tech.” You’re a cash-generating asset.
· Track every expense — tools, truck, mileage, uniforms
· Start a simple LLC (in most states, it’s cheap and fast)
· Use business credit and deductions to stop bleeding money
3. Turn Work Into Wealth — Automatically
The easiest wealth-building move? Set it and forget it.
· Auto-transfer $100–$500/month to a Roth IRA (it grows tax-free)
· Pick a simple low cost index fund
· Ignore it for 20 years and watch it explode
You don’t need a finance degree to do this. You just need the guts to start.
🧠THE MENTAL TRAP THAT KEEPS YOU BROKE
If you’re constantly saying:
· “I’ll start saving once I make more”
· “I can’t afford to invest right now”
· “I’m too busy to deal with that”
You’re falling into the same trap that’s crushed tradespeople for generations.
Here’s the reality: You’re already doing the hard part — earning.
Now it’s time to make that income actually become something.
🛠️ NEXT ISSUE: “From W2 to Wealth Building Pro — How to Use Your Income Like a Business”
We’ll break down:
· How to build a tax-advantaged side hustle
· How to write off your tools and truck like a boss
· Why the tradesperson who thinks like a Wealth Building Pro can win every time
👇 YOUR MOVE
Do the one thing successful trade pros do: start
If this hits you in the gut — good. That means it’s real. Share it with people you know.
Go to SkilledTradeRescue.com.
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And take back control of your money, your wealth, your life!
You already work harder than most. It’s time your money did too!
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