Oliver - Live Like a Millionaire (Without Having to Be One)

Copyright 2011 by Vicky Oliver

Originally published as The Millionaires Handbook in 2011.

New materials 2014 Vicky Oliver

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any manner without the express written consent of the publisher, except in the case of brief excerpts in critical reviews or articles. All inquiries should be addressed to Skyhorse Publishing, 307 West 36th Street, 11th Floor, New York, NY 10018.

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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data is available on file.

Cover design by Rain Saukas

Print ISBN: 978-1-62914-753-6

Ebook ISBN: 978-1-63220-032-7

Printed in China

CONTENTS

Rung I:

MONEY MANAGEMENT (WHEN YOU HAVE NONE)

Rung II:

MOVING ON UP

Rung III:

FAKE IT TILL YOU MAKE IT

Rung IV:

YOUVE ARRIVED (WELL, ALMOST)

TWENTY MUST-HAVE ITEMS TO LOOK LIKE A MILLIONAIRE

1. One pair of sunglasses that hides majority of face for instant celebrity appeal.

2. One gadget (cell, iPhone, iPad, Samsung Galaxy Note) to prove your time is very valuable.

3. One underwire bra (only if youre female; guys, youre off the hook).

4. Dunkin Donuts coffee securely hidden inside a thermos with a Starbucks logo.

5. One copy of Vanity Fair to show youre part of the literati.

6. One watch fob, monocle, or other item that is painfully out of touch with modern sensibilities.

7. More than 1,000 Facebook friends (only 100 of whom you have actually met). A Twitter following is also helpful.

8. One pet that is a bit more unusual than a dog or cat.

9. One scarf in the colors of the university you wish you had attended.

10. One signet ring. (If you had to change your initials at some point, all the better.)

11. One copy of The Wall Street Journal to show you understand heady financial matters.

12. One ticket stub to a cultural event within the last year.

13. One key chain with charm signaling sport of choice, i.e., tennis, horseback riding, skeet shooting, etc.

14. Something in your pocket thats a historical curiosity.

15. One passbook savings account with at least $5 left after all expenses are paid.

16. Good hair.

17. Better shoes.

18. An eye for art. (Not confusing Jasper Johns with Jackson Pollock is a good start.)

19. A sincere desire to break some fashion rules.

20. Brass balls, gumption, and confidence galore.

FIVE OBSERVATIONS ABOUT MONEY

Penge er mere veltalende end et dusin medlemmer af Folketinget.

Money is more eloquent than a dozen members of parliament.

Danish proverb

Geld is niet alles, maar het is ver vooruit wat er op de tweede plaats.

Money isnt everything, but its way ahead of whatever is in second place.

Dutch proverb

Geld regiert die Welt.

Money rules the world.

German proverb

Et genus et formam regina pecunia donat.

Money, like a queen, gives rank and beauty.

Latin proverb

With money in your pocket, you are wise and you are handsome and you sing well too.

Yiddish proverb

INTRODUCTION

HOW TO LIVE LIKE A MILLIONAIRE (ON A STIPEND)

W e all know that money is power. The wealthiest few get invited to glitzier parties, live in swankier homes, and attract more lucrative deals than the rest of us.

But why should the best perks accrue only to those able to afford them? Dont we all deserve to live the luxe life?

Just imagine how grand life would be if the posh club memberships, sophisticated yacht parties, and sojourns to Marthas Vineyard, Nantucket, and Southampton were no longer the exclusive province of the fabulously rich but were, in fact, within reach.

This book will show you how to wing it till you cha-ching itby spending what little money you do have wisely and making a positive investment in yourself. It will help you gain the trappings of luxuryeven if youre six generations removed, not just from Kevin, but from anyone who brings home the Bacon. Youll learn how to look, dress, speak, and live like a millionaire so that you, too, can enjoy the same privileged lifestyle. You just wont have to spend like a millionaire.

Do you dream in green?

There are entire stores filled with chichi clothing. There are countless ways to pamper, party, and globetrotall while sampling the worlds finest luxuries. But if you have to worry about how much it all costs, then this is the right book for you. It will help redistribute the perks that come with the power of money, so that we can all get more of whats coming to us (for a great deal less).

I F Y OU C AN D REAM I T , Y OU C AN L OOK I T

This book describes eighteen separate aspects of looking and living like a millionaire even if you arent one. Each chapter begins with a fictional scene, which sets the stage for the true-life advice and tips that follow.

As we travel together through these chapters, you will meet some friends and learn what to do (and, indeed, what not to do). Hopefully, some of the suggestions will work for you, whether your aim is to dress for success at the workplace, court the wealthy for business purposes, meet a financially eligible someone, or simply to secure a better social life. (Millionaires throw excellent parties.)

Or do you dream in black and white?

Budgeting, prioritizing, skimping, and stretching a dollar will all be explored as tactics to achieve the fabulous lifestyle without taxing your bank account. Following these suggestions may even help you see more green, but it wont be with envy. You may well ask: What does it mean to be a millionaire today? After all, its been several centuries since we were first awed by that rich title. Indeed, a million dollars is not what it used to be. Some people think ten million dollars in assets isnt enough to be considered a millionaire by todays standards. Theres the housing to pay for, not to mention the help, the private schools, the twice-yearly trips to Europeit all adds up!