Are you finding it hard to become financially independent? If so, dont get down on yourself. You are not alone in the slightest bit. Many Americans struggle to balance their books properly, no matter how much money they make.

To be clear, financial independence should not be your end goal. Its actually a path to financial freedom and building wealth. You can master each phase by being vigilant with your finances.

Everyone wants to be able to make decisions based on happiness, and not how much money they have. But, this isnt possible until you build enough wealth and have passive income. These individuals have enough savings and income to pay off their living expenses for the rest of their life, and then some.

So, what does it mean to be financially independent? Its the status of not having to rely on others to meet your financial needs. You are completely self-sustainable at this point.

If becoming wealthy is the destination, financial independence is the bridge you have to cross. Moreover, you have to become independent before you can begin building wealth.

The journey is just beginning once you reach financial independence. In fact, most Americans will get there in their early 20s or 30s.

But, that doesnt mean you can begin to aimlessly spend your money. It means you no longer rely on your parents, or other figures in your life, to take care of you financially.

At this point, you have a reliable job, pay your own bills, and live on your own. Yet, many people will take on large amounts of debt at this stage in life.

Dont fall victim to this path once you become financially independent. Here is where you can begin to make real strides towards financial freedom and building wealth.

Begin by automating your savings efforts through your income. Set up an automatic transfer with your banking service that places a specific percentage of your monthly income into a savings account.

In general, its best practice to begin by placing 20% of your paycheck into savings each month. The more you make, the more you can save.

Saving money is a start, but you also have to create a budget for everything else. This ensures that you dont spend more money than you have. In addition, it eliminates the possibility of taking on debt through credit cards or personal loans.

Live within your means and, over time, you will begin to see your savings adding up. And, as you add more assets such as buying a home, your net worth will rise as well.

As you can see, becoming financially independent is only the beginning. Now you can focus on passive income. And, the best way to bring in passive income is through the stock market.

Investing in stocks is the quickest way to build wealth. Just look at some of the wealthiest people in the world. Warren Buffets investment portfolio has made him one of the wealthiest people on the planet.

This is how you create your own path to financial freedom. At this stage, building up your wealth is only a matter of time.

You make a plan that is sustainable and continue to adjust that plan as your income increases. Continue to make smart investments and watch the compound interest pile up each year.

Are you ready to take your financial independence to the next level? Learn how to invest in stocks with our help at Investment U.

Our team of experts have decades of experience with Wall Street as some of the top traders in the country. Sign up for the Investment U e-letter below for immediate access to daily stock market insights and trends.

Your future will depend heavily on your ability to save your money and invest it properly. Once you are financially independent, its in your hands to create your own path.

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What it Means to Be Financially Independent - Investment U