If Someone Says These 11 Phrases, You Can Pretty Much Guarantee They’ll Never Be Rich
Your mindset might be holding you back from achieving wealth.
larisa Stefanjuk / Shutterstock While it seems like some people have this natural talent of being able to attract money into their lives, there are others who seem to struggle with not having to worry about their income at all. The difference between the two isn't necessarily that one person is working harder than the other, but it has to do with their differing mindsets. Much of the key to receiving money is being able to talk about in a way that expresses just how much you value security and financial success. The phrases you throw around can truly end up sabotaging you down the line.
The way someone talks about money can reveal a lot about their financial situation as well, because of how much the words we say usually end up affecting the results that we see, whether you're someone who's afraid of talking about money, avoiding it altogether, or even just simply treating it as if it's not important. Those phrases can sometimes be a huge red flag into how someone is planning to build wealth for themselves.
If someone says these 11 phrases, you can pretty much guarantee they'll never be rich:
1. 'Money isn't important'
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At first, it might seem like someone is choosing not to focus on materialistic things and doesn't really think that money is something they should be concerned about. But, their saying that money isn't important can often reveal such a deeper truth, which is that they either don't have enough money to begin with or that they just don't know how to manage what they do have.
In fact, according to a survey from the Pew Research Center, about half, 54%, of Americans say they know a great deal or a fair amount about personal finances. Another 33% say they know some about personal finances, while 13% say they don’t know much or know nothing at all.
Either way, they're trying to come across as humble, but caring about your finances doesn't make you a bad person or greedy in any way. People in this mindset of not wanting to care about money mean that they're not realizing just how much each financial decision is setting them back from having a secure and fruitful future.
2. 'I'll start saving when I make more'
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Many people think that just because they aren't making a certain amount of money, it means that they simply don't have the means to save. In reality, they're just putting it off without even realizing that building wealth doesn't mean waiting around to earn the perfect income, but rather the habits that you have. Saving even a small amount consistently, whether it's $5 or $20, can truly go a long way.
According to a survey from Bankrate, only 46% of U.S. adults have enough emergency savings to cover three months of expenses. On top of that, 30% of people have some emergency savings but not enough to cover three months’ expenses, and 24% have no emergency savings at all.
Being able to provide a cushion for yourself allows you more opportunities to grow your money and maybe even invest later on so that you can earn more down the line. People who adopt the mindset of being able to save as much as they can, even if they're not getting paid a lot, often end up seeing more of a benefit than those who maybe aren't saving at all.
3. 'I'm not good with money'
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Admitting that you have a weakness with money isn't the thing that will help you build wealth for your future self. When someone says they're not good with money, it's almost as if they're giving themselves an excuse not to try and learn. They refuse to budget, save, invest, or plan for future things because they think they won't be good at it.
Data from 2024 reveals just how financial literacy in this country has hovered around 50% for eight consecutive years, with a 2% drop in the past two years.
Learning about finances isn't going to be an easy process, but once you're able to learn more and get the right kind of guidance, you'll be setting yourself up for success later on. It's about taking accountability and not being scared to look at your own habits and choices. The only way you can see change is by being transparent with yourself and not being afraid to take a leap of faith.
4. 'I can't handle money responsibly'
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Believing you're someone who is incapable of managing your money will only keep you from taking the steps to actually learn and practice financial responsibility. By assuming you're bad at it, people avoid learning and making the small improvements, which are exactly the kind of actions that help build your confidence surrounding money in the long run. According to one survey, 77% of Americans report feeling anxious about their financial situation, and it may be because they aren't fully managing their money in the way they should be.
When you assume that you aren't good at managing money, you also just end up feeling more stressed than you should. Handling money isn't about having the natural talent to do so, but it's about being able to create habits and taking consistent actions. You might make mistakes still because no one is perfect, but at least from the mistakes, you can continue to grow and learn even more about your finances.
5. 'I'll figure it out later'
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Being the type of person who delays decisions about money and refuses to do things that can help set up your future only does you a disservice in the end. Every single day that you're procrastinating means another day that you're just flushing money down the toilet, essentially. Just putting it on the back burner and claiming that you'll figure it out later might feel like the most comfortable option, but the reality is that ignoring things only makes the problem bigger, and it won't just make it disappear.
The truth of the matter is that wealth doesn't wait, and it only shows for the people who are consistent and want it. It means taking small steps, no matter how scary it may seem or uncomfortable. It means taking the necessary steps to correct the financial mistakes you're making so that you get to live the kind of life that you want.
6. 'I'm just not the type to be rich'
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It might seem hard to believe that being wealthy can happen to you, and while wealth looks different for every single person, it is something that can be achieved. You just have to have the right mindset about it, and the first step is to not just put yourself in the category of someone that'll never be rich. That ends up shutting the door before you even have the chance to work on opening it.
It's understandable that people might be scared of failing, though. They might want to be rich, but actually vocalizing that out loud can feel stifling because it'll be embarrassing if it never actually comes true. Wealth is truly accessible to those who are not only willing to learn but also willing to take action and keep going even when things might feel uncomfortable and a little bit scary.
7. 'I'm not patient enough'
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It takes an immense amount of patience and waiting until you're finally able to build wealth for yourself, but counting yourself out early will only keep you from achieving it in the first place. It might sound harmless to say that you're just "not patient enough," but that's the kind of mindset that will keep people from being able to chase success.
Wealth doesn't ever come overnight, but it also doesn't mean it will never happen. People who are so quick to dismiss themselves in that way can't see that they're just setting themselves up for failure. Instead, look at it as something that you can achieve, and something that can happen if you're just willing to stick with it.
8. 'I'm too scared to start investing'
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According to a poll by CNBC, 63% of young adults believe the stock market is a great place to build wealth and invest, but many are not participating. Most people find investing to be a scary concept, and they don't even know where to start. However, investing isn't complicated if you do the research and figure out the right way to invest consistently and in a way that'll bring you more money down the line.
It's considered one of the most reliable ways to build financial freedom, and over time, you'll be able to reap the benefits. The fear of investing shouldn't stop people from taking these small and manageable steps to grow their assets.
9. 'I don't want to make sacrifices'
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Nobody enjoys giving up on the things that they enjoy in life, whether it's eating out, being able to buy new clothes, or spending money on miscellaneous things without having to think about it. But the only way you can achieve wealth is by sometimes giving up certain things so you can start saving more. It might mean skipping out on certain events and things because it's better to spend your money in ways that might be more beneficial, or just not spending it all.
But you'd be surprised by how much you can handle if you truly set your mind to it. It might be hard in the beginning to make these sacrifices, but eventually you'll get used to it and even get to a point where you can't even imagine that you were spending your money on things that you didn't even need.
10. 'I'll just get lucky someday'
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It's rare for wealth to happen just based on luck. Waiting to win the lottery or for an abundance of money to just fall into your bank account means missing out on earning it through a more consistent effort. Sometimes things land in your lap and sometimes they don't, but the best thing you can do to secure a financially successful future is just getting ahead of luck and working for it.
It's about educating yourself about money and trusting that these skills can get you to the future you want. Without the habits that can work, luck alone can't be counted on to fill the gaps. The wealthiest people were the ones who created opportunities and took risks. They weren't just waiting around for something to fall from the sky.
11. 'I'm too lazy for that'
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There's no way to see instant results without putting in the work. Wealth won't happen unless you work for it, and you shouldn't count yourself out by thinking you're "too lazy" to accomplish it. It might seem like the easy way out, but you're only holding yourself back from being able to see your true potential.
It won't be a seamless journey at all, and there will be moments where things aren't aligning, but that's all part of achieving wealth. But as long as you're taking consistent steps and turning your goals into results, you'll eventually be where you need to be. Avoiding them altogether, however, means that nothing changes and you stay stagnant forever.
Nia Tipton is a staff writer with a bachelor's degree in creative writing and journalism who covers news and lifestyle topics that focus on psychology, relationships, and the human experience.
