I’m about to tell you something that’ll trigger every finance “guru” on the internet.
Getting rich isn’t all about picking stocks, timing crashes, or finding “the next Bitcoin.”
I know this because I spent 7 years in Wealth Management advising 453 millionaires… clients worth between $1 million and $100 million.
And here’s what I discovered:
- These millionaires weren’t obsessed with the market
- They didn’t spend weekends researching companies
- They didn’t chase hot tips or panic during crashes
What they had was simpler (and infinitely more powerful):
A proven system they set up once and ran for decades.
That’s it.
No secret sauce. No complex strategies. No insider access.
So for my final newsletter of the year, I’m giving you the step-by-step system you can install before January 1st… so you don’t spend another 365 days wondering why your net worth isn’t growing while everyone else seems to be getting ahead.
Let’s dive in.
Why 2026 Matters
The market rewards time, not intention.
Every January you delay costs you compound growth you never get back.
Start one year earlier, keep the same monthly habit for decades, and the difference by retirement can be six figures.
If You Want to Get Rich in 2026, Track These 3 Numbers
If you track nothing else next year, track these:
1) Your Invest Rate
How much of your income gets invested automatically every month?
Not “saved.” Not “left over.” Invested.
Your invest rate is the speed of your wealth engine.
2) Your Wealth Gap
Wealth Target minus Current Invested Assets equals Gap.
Example: $250,000 (target) minus $90,000 (current) equals a $160,000 gap.
Your brain is incredible at solving problems once the target is clear.
Because “I want to be rich” is vague. But “I need to close a $160,000 gap” creates a mission.
3) Your Monthly Buy Number
The dollar amount you buy every month, no matter what the market does.
Your Monthly Buy Number is your wealth thermostat. It determines your future.
Your goal in 2026: increase your Monthly Buy Number, then defend it like your future depends on it, because it does.
The 60-Second Setup (Choose Your Monthly Buy Number)
If you want to get rich, you need a number that is specific and automatic.
Here’s the simplest way to set it.
Step 1: Pick your invest rate. Use this as a starting point:
- 10% if you are new to investing
- 15% if you are serious
- 20% if you want fast progress
Step 2: Calculate your Monthly Buy Number
Monthly Buy Number = (Monthly take-home pay) × (Invest rate)
Quick examples:
- Take-home pay $5,000 per month at 10% = $500 per month invested
- Take-home pay $5,000 per month at 15% = $750 per month invested
- Take-home pay $5,000 per month at 20% = $1,000 per month invested
That is it.
Pick a number that feels slightly challenging, but sustainable.
Because consistency beats intensity.
Write yours here:
My Monthly Buy Number for 2026 is: $_______ per month
The 2026 Rule That Creates Millionaires
Invest first. Lifestyle second.
Most people do the opposite:
- Lifestyle first
- Investing “if there’s extra”
Millionaires flip it:
- Investing first
- Lifestyle with the remainder
You get rich when you prioritize long-term wealth creation over lifestyle.
How to Get Rich in 2026
Here’s the step-by-step guide:
Step 1: Pick your Wealth Target
Pick one of these. Don’t overthink it.
- Tier 1: “I want to reach $100k in invested assets”
- Tier 2: “I want to reach $250k”
- Tier 3: “I want to reach $500k”
- Tier 4: “I want to reach $750k”
- Tier 5: “I want to reach $1M”
Now write it like this:
By Dec 31, 2026, my invested assets will be: $________
Today, they are: $________
My wealth gap is: $________
This turns “get rich” from a fantasy into something attainable.
Step 2: Invest in the right order (this is the cheat sheet)
Most people lose years here because they do not know which account comes first.
Example order:
- 401(k) or 403(b) up to the employer match
- Roth IRA (if eligible) or Traditional IRA (if not)
- HSA (if you have one and can invest it)
- Back to your 401(k) or 403(b)
- Taxable brokerage account
If you only do Step 2 and automate it, you are already ahead of most people.
Step 3: Build your “4-bucket” portfolio
You need a portfolio that is diversified, low-cost, and easy to maintain.
Example clean structure:
- 40% U.S. market foundation (S&P 500 style fund)
- 30% dividend and quality (for stability and cash flow)
- 20% growth (higher upside, more volatility)
- 10% international (global diversification)
Simple beats perfect.
Important: the portfolio matters less than the behavior.
A “good” portfolio plus inconsistent investing loses to a “fine” portfolio plus consistent investing.
Step 4: Automate the whole thing
This is where wealth becomes inevitable.
Set up your automation so it runs even when you are busy, stressed, or unmotivated.
Copy and paste this into your notes, then fill in the blanks:
- On payday (or the 1st of every month), automatically transfer $_____ into my investing account.
- Consider these funds:
- 40% into U.S. market fund (e.g. VOO)
- 30% into dividend or quality fund (e.g. SCHD)
- 20% into growth fund (e.g. $VUG)
- 10% into international fund (e.g. VXUS)
- I check my portfolio quarterly only.
- I rebalance quarterly only.
- If the market is down 10% or more when I check, I add an extra $_____ that month if I can.
- I never sell from fear.
That is the system.
Step 5: Use the millionaire “anti-panic” rule (the one that saves you in crashes)
You only need one rule for market chaos:
When the market is scary, I buy the same amount, or more.
I never sell from fear.
Most people destroy their returns by doing the following:
- Buying at the top (greed)
- Selling at the bottom (fear)
- Repeating the cycle until they’re broke
The wealthy do the opposite.
Step 6: Increase your Monthly Buy Number without pain (the 1% ladder)
Instead of trying to change your entire lifestyle overnight, do this:
Increase your invest rate by 1% of income every month until it stings slightly, then hold.
Example:
- January: +1%
- February: +1%
- March: +1%
By summer, you are investing more without feeling like you “changed your whole life.”
This is how wealthy people build wealth quietly.
The 30/60/90 Plan
Next 7 days (set the foundation):
- Write your 2026 Wealth Target + Gap
- Choose your invest rate (10%, 15%, or 20%)
- Set your Monthly Buy Number
- Turn on auto-invest on payday
- Pick your account order and implement it
- Choose your 4-bucket portfolio
- Put “Quarterly Rebalance” on your calendar (4x/year)
First 30 days (lock in the system):
- Prioritize long-term wealth creation over lifestyle
- Increase invest rate by 1%
- Choose your raise rule: 50% of every raise goes to investing
- Stop checking your portfolio daily (quarterly is enough)
First 90 days (make it unstoppable):
- Increase invest rate by another 1%
- Build a small cash buffer so you never interrupt investing
- Do your first quarterly check and rebalance
Final Thoughts
2026 won’t make you rich. Your next 12 months of defaults will.
If your defaults are:
- Automatic investing
- Simple portfolio
- Rising Monthly Buy Number
- No panic selling
You will look up a few years from now and feel like your net worth “came out of nowhere.”
Start today.
Your bank account will thank you later,
Fiona
The Millennial Money Woman
