Mostly I credit my husband for finding a career he liked, being very focused, and being able to pay the corporate game well. We actually both earned the same money when we were first married at the age of 25, but about five years later he was making 20% more than me. Not long after that I went part time, and he continued to make more and more money. Within a couple years we could live just on his salary and mine was extras like travel, savings, and emergencies.
This leads me to other contributing factors: We always saved money. We never had credit card debt, but always use credit cards for all purchases, unless a company does not take credit cards of course. Never buy anything you can’t afford at the moment you buy it, and of course always pay off your credit cards in full every month.
On our second house we had a 15 year mortgage, instead of the typical 30 year. This means you pay it off much faster, spend less on interest. Interest really adds up. Unless you are great at investing your money, making money from money, then being as debt free as possible is my big advice. Interest on mortgages happens to be very very low right now, but still I recommend when you buy a house to find out how much you will have paid for the house at the end of the mortgage payments, not just look at if you can afford the monthly payment. The eventual goal being no mortgage. Interest is like throwing money out on the street, especially on credit cards, but that was mentioned above.
Have short and long term goals for savings. Short term might be to have 6 moths of expenses in savings, so if you are laid of or have a slow time in your business you can float for a while. Long term might be when you are 65 you want to have $2million in the bank. Depends on the person, your goals might be very different. But, having a financial goal, just spending the time to think about it, is more than most people do.
Remember every 15 years money doubles at 5% compound interest. So if you have $1million at age 45, with modest investing, or good CD’s (if the rates ever come back up) by 60 you would have $2million even if you never saved again from your salary. Money gets money.
So, to sum it up. Find a career that makes decent money, don’t owe money, and don’t spend all your money. Money equals freedom, but it has to be available money.