Introduction
The truth is that looks matter. Like it or not, we live in a society where first impressions can open or close doors for you, and where the person that best looks right for a role often gets it. That could be a game changer for a career move, a spouse or partner, or housing. Here’s a secret though: it doesn’t matter if you actually have money, because you can easily look like you do, even if you don’t. While it takes more than just a designer handbag or a nice watch to look like you have money, you can hack your way to a better life by projecting the confidence of the wealthy. You need to develop good habits and live below your means in order to truly look like a millionaire without spending like one. Here are some tips for how to do just that.
Why should you bother trying to look good?
When you look good, you feel better. That’s easy to test yourself if you don’t believe it. Dress like a slob and walk around in public, then dress well and do the same. You’ll notice that you have more confidence and attract more attention if you look good. A good haircut can make you feel like a million bucks, and clothes that fit your body well will make it look like you know fashion. Ultimately, confidence is the key to success. Find confidence, and you’ll change your whole life.
So why should you bother trying to look good? Simple: it can help with your career, finding love, and making friends.
How to look like you have money
If you want to look like you have money, there are a few things that will help give off that impression.
First of all, make sure your clothing fits properly and is in good condition. If it doesn’t fit right, get some new clothes that do fit well and that look nice on your body type. This can be done on the cheap by shopping at thrift stores or finding clothing stores with big sales. The reason why this is important is because having ill-fitting or cheap looking clothes makes others think that they won’t waste their time with someone who doesn’t care about themselves enough to invest in decent clothing. Avoid flashy clothes though, as people who have money usually don’t flaunt big name brands. They wear high quality, good fitting clothing that’s clean and in style. They also wear clothing that’s appropriate for the situation. That means that you don’t wear sneakers with a suit unless you’re going for a major fashion statement. Make a trip to Goodwill and find a pair of cheap dress shoes instead.
Second of all, make sure your hair looks nice! This means getting frequent haircuts (at least once every six weeks) and washing your hair regularly (at least every other day). Make sure any facial hair is well kept, including trimming it. Having good hygiene will help people think positively about you regardless of how much money they think you’re making!
Drive a good, reasonable car that’s not flashy. No need for expensive German or Italian brands, just make sure your car is clean, and well kept. More millionaires and billionaires drive late model Chevy Suburbans than you would believe. They are looking for understated and elegance in their vehicles, not flashy and loud.
Be calm, cool, and collected in all interactions. Nothing screams low income like boisterous behavior in public. Act like a gentleman or gentlewoman, and you’ll be treated like one.
Cultivate an attitude of quiet confidence, but be careful about edging into overconfidence or arrogance. Extremely wealthy people are supremely confident, but not typically arrogant. They are sure of themselves, but maintain humility in the face of things they don’t know and have an open mind. They’re willing to learn, and apply that knowledge to their lives. Do the same.
Look out for your future as you look like you have money.
So you don’t have a lot of money. That’s fine. It’s not the end of the world. You can still look like you have money without spending a ton of money and developing any bad habits. In fact, if you’re serious about living your best life while staying on budget, here are some things to keep in mind:
- Eat healthy – No amount of money can purchase health. You need to maintain that throughout your life, and doing so will pay dividends as you age.
- Start saving today – It can be a modest amount, but start saving and investing now. The power of compounding interest is one of the most amazing economic forces you can take advantage of.
- Live below your means and develop good work habits – Never spend more than you earn. Ever. That means that you have to make good choices and not deviate from them, even when your friends are, or when you really want to. This personal responsibility is one of the primary things that separates the wealthy from the poor.
Saving Money
Start saving today. If there’s one thing that will make other people think you’re rich, it’s having lots of money in the bank (or at least making it seem like there is). And when I say “lots,” I mean $100 or more a month that isn’t immediately spent on something else (like bills). This can be achieved with minimal effort by automatically depositing 5% of each paycheck into an interest-bearing savings account every month—or even better yet, by setting up an automatic transfer from another account so it happens without anyone having to do anything manually. The key here is consistency; once this habit becomes routine for you and your future self will thank their past self for being wise enough not to blow everything on new shoes every week!
Conclusion
Remember, looking like you have money is something that’s achievable for everyone. If you want to look like you have money, you need to feel comfortable with yourself and be able to make choices that will make you healthy, fit, and confident. By cultivating the external belief that you’re trustworthy, competent, and even wealthy, you can actually become each of those things.