I grew up poor. My mom was buried in debt. I had the good fortune to land a well-paying job early in my career and save up—then I got wrecked by a bad stock-market decision and by chasing a dream I could never quite catch. At 33, I started over with an entry-level job and less than a month of expenses in the bank.

I'm not yet 45. Largely on one salary, my wife and I have been able to buy three homes, purchase three brand-new vehicles, take cruises and a trip to the UK, raise four children, complete more than $50,000 in renovations and upgrades—and still save up enough that we could pay off our mortgage right now and be debt-free. All in under twelve years.

I'm not a hotshot executive. I didn't build a thriving tech company. I just learned how to save and invest with intention.

And I can teach you. Especially if you're just starting out, the road ahead is hard—but the opportunity to set yourself up for wealth and early retirement is enormous.