Don’t Waste Money to Impress Others

Most rich people don't spend their time and money trying to impress others. "They are not in a race," Kay said. "They know they have made it, so their attention is not on what others think."

In fact, many wealthy individuals wouldn't have become rich if they had spent their hard-earned money buying things to keep up with others, he said. Living below their means and rejecting big-spending lifestyles are key secrets of the country's richest people, according to the best-selling book, "The Millionaire Next Door: The Surprising Secrets of America's Wealthy."

Spending money to appear rich before you actually are is a surefire way to sabotage your wealth-building goals. So, forget about the Joneses and focus on what matters: accumulating your wealth in the coming years. If you're determined to appear rich but don't want to spend money, use these insider strategies.