LIFE

Know any millionaires? You may, and not even realize it. Huh?

That's because millionaires are people who save money, not people who spend it…so they're not going to be riding around town in a fancy car wearing designer clothes. OK maybe some do, but there are lots who don't. That's because they have an MDM aka Million-Dollar Mind-Set.

Having a Million-Dollar Mind-Set, more than anything, is about attitude. It means you commit to a financial goal of making a million bucks. We're not talking about a half-baked commitment. We mean you really, truly commit. Like Dorothy-committed-to-finding-the-Emerald-City-so she could-get-back-to-Kansas kind of commitment.

Thinking like a millionaire means you commit to that goal and work hard to achieve it. It will be challenging. It will take discipline. So to get ready you first have to put yourself in the proper mind-set, the Million-Dollar Mind-Set.

That's because everywhere you turn there's something to spend your money on, making it seem like as soon as you do you'll be happy, healthy, rich, popular, successful - whatever. It's hard to resist temptation when all your friends have that thing you think you need. One big secret to becoming a millionaire?

Ignore the bling and do your own thing. That means NOT buying the latest phone, gadget, whatever. Thinking like a millionaire (with an MDM) means you find ways to save money instead of constantly spending it.

Developing good money habits takes time, but you start with the first step and work your way up. Trust us, there's nothing cooler than knowing you've got a million dollars sitting in your bank account.

TRY THIS: Georgia really wanted a specific pair of pricey jeans. But she was smart about it. Instead of paying the full retail price of $70 she scoured ebay.com, and found the perfect size for $10. They arrived in less than a week.

Think of something you'd love to buy. Then get creative on how to get it cheaply. Can you barter with something you have? Buy used online? Maybe just borrow one for a week? Or get something similar for half the cost? Let us know how you do with your Million-Dollar Mind-Set!

Follow our Financial Literacy Month series to get financially fit in just 30 days.

James McKenna and Jeannine Glista  are the co-creators of Biz Kid$, a national financial education initiative based on the award-winning public TV series. They also are the authors of the seriously smart new book How to Turn $100 into $1,000,000 (out this month from Workman Publishing, $13), which outlines in detail every step you need to take to make your million. 

by GL | 4/2/2016