[Serious] How do you make money?

Are you under 30? You can get holiday work visas for Australia, New Zealand, Ireland (if you just graduated or are still in school; just sign up for one class and it will probably count) and a few other countries if you're a US citizen. If you're commonwealth (Canada, NZ, AU, UK, etc.) they have 2 year work agreements with most other commonwealth states. If you're from a native English speaking country, go sign up for JET in Japan or teach english in Korea.

Go work in another country for a year. See the world. Live. Don't worry about money. If you just want to save up and get that big house and all that crap, you're going to be empty at the end.

I saved up and moved to Australia for a year, NZ for 3 (I extended my visa once there), then lived out of 2 bags for 11 months backpacking across south east asia an Europe (used up like $20k) then I needed a job again.

Living life and seeing the world is worth way more than money.

Marry someone who is already rich.

Get your commercial drivers license. The possibilities are pretty much endless once you learn to drive truck. Don't go to school for it, find a job where they would be willing to train you.

I use my gun and takes what I want!

You can make six figures in fast food. You need to scale the ladder in front of you. Identify the things you need to achieve at your workplace in order to move up and then do them. Yes this is hard. It's ridiculously fucking hard at a fast food joint, but it is possible. Your bosses boss will ALWAYS need somebody to rely on, anywhere in life.

I'm almost 30 as well and I'm getting sick of not making enough. So I'm working in sales now. Still have a lot to learn, but if I'm not a total idiot I should make some good money.

I spend less. It I am easier than trying g to find more to save. I have the money I set aside each check that goes I to savings, and then try and skip any extra expenses or anything I can do without.

Networking is your friend. I've been really lucky to meet and befriend psychos with too much money.

Family and a tangible goal besides "live comfortably" will also help motivate you.

Have you read Rand or Machiavelli? Both of them color my world and I'm pretty happy working my ass off towards something.

Military-civilian contracting is good money. Uncle Sam has deep pockets, and depending on what you're into you can make great money. General Atomics needs more drone pilots at the moment. Could you stomach that? It would net you large sums of money making it easier to make your own.

Produce something people want. Help people you network with achieve their own goals. That's all trade is anyway, helping people do what they want to do for a price.

In the end, legality is what you can get away with. You think those rich bastards in government or on Wall Street did it the "right" way? Fuck no. They took what they could get their hands on and I applaud them for it. If you want to secure material wealth you're going to have to be an opportunist in addition to having those long term goals. In a world of finite resources and infinite wants you can secure your own place in unexpected ways. As well, the very top of the totem pole likely doesn't share your own moral compass. There are the eaters and the eaten. Think about the benefits a more plastic moral code may bring you.

I was lucky. Full ride to West Point so I came out with no student debt (other than owing 5 years of my life) and a well-paying job. Did 24 years then became a money sucking contractor for the military.

I know none of that helps you but here's what I do:

1. Realize there's a huge difference between want and need. Do you really need a new iPhone 10 or is your current phone just fine? Do you need a new pair of Nike shoes or are the $10 Wal-Mart tennis shoes just fine? I don't care if people think I'm cheap. I drive a 17 year old vehicle because I just don't care.

2. Save money. Every single paycheck. Pick a number to save and stay with it then keep raising it. Savings are supposed to go up, never down.

3. Make a detailed budget. I literally track every single penny coming in and going out.

4. Never, ever, allow yourself to impulse buy anything, ever. Research everything you are considering spending money on.

5. Stay away from credit cards.

6. Consider renting instead of owning your home. Houses are not only expensive but the maintenance can be huge. I got burned big time on my huge house. I realize there are trade-offs between buying and renting.

7. Fix stuff on your own. Whether it's a broken pipe or a vehicle, try to fix it yourself before wasting money to pay someone else. I will never pay someone else to do what I can do myself.

8. Never, ever buy a new car. Used.

9. As for jobs, always be the best worker. Show up early, don't bitch, volunteer for more, learn. If you are cleaning toilets be the best toilet cleaner there is. Good workers are hard to find, trust me.

10. Never loan anyone any money unless it's one of your kids.

Hang in there. It takes time. I'm 52 and didn't start feeling comfortable until I was in my mid-40s.

Accept that anything that is worth achieving requires a certain amount of suffering. That persistence alone is omnipotent. And then just grind... Start with the little things; make your bed, strive for that promotion. You have to understand your value realistically. Which basically means you have to admit you are a fool and fight to better yourself ever day. Why? Because you can, and you choose to. Because the alternative is to foul to consider.

You're looking for the easy money, but understand that is fiction. There is no free lunch.

Location really matters. I'm 25 and the highest I've ever earned is a whopping 10.50 an hour before taxes. However, because I live in a cheap part of the country, I was able to save up 10k in a little over 18 months. Then I coasted working 24 hour weeks and kind of just tread water. I'm putting in my two weeks tomorrow so I can take the whole summer off. Where I live is cheap enough I could theoretically not work another day until 8/1/2019 at my present lifestyle.

The biggest thing is saving habits and the biggest savings come from sobriety and food. You don't have to be stone cold sober, but any vice becomes expensive quick. Cooking your own meals saves a stupid amount of money compared to eating or ordering out. I actually spend quite a bit more on food than I could at about 50 a week for one person including toiletries in that budget and a state with sales tax on food. I eat a diet of almost no carbs so adding in some rice, beans, and pasta instead of meat cuts would make a 30 a week grocery bill achievable.

The biggest money saver of all? Being single :p. One ex still owes me 3k I will never see any of.