June 4, 2025

The Wealth Ladder: Proven Strategies for Every Step of Your Financial Life with Nick Maggiulli

The player is loading ...
The Wealth Ladder: Proven Strategies for Every Step of Your Financial Life with Nick Maggiulli

#230: The Wealth Ladder is a new philosophy for thinking about money and in this episode you'll learn exactly how to handle your spending, income, investments, and more, with tailored advice for every stage. We cover strategies to boost income, spend smarter with the 0.01% rule, avoid costly financial traps, evaluate new business opportunities, and achieve financial freedom.

Nick Maggiulli is a financial writer, data expert, and the COO of Ritholtz Wealth Management . He’s the creator of the popular financial blog Of Dollars and Data and the author of Just Keep Buying and The Wealth Ladder .

 

Partner Deals

LMNT: Free sample pack of my favorite electrolyte drink mix

Gelt: Skip the waitlist on personalized tax guidance to maximize your wealth

MasterClass: Learn from the world's best with 15% off

Notion: Try Notion AI free to automate tedious tasks and streamline your work

Trust & Will: Get 20% off personalized, legally binding estate plans

For all the deals, discounts and promo codes from our partners, go to: chrishutchins.com/deals

 

Resources Mentioned

Nick: X | Instagram | LinkedIn | Blog

Research Data Sources

ATH Podcast

 

Full Show Notes

(00:00) Introduction

(02:15) Big Misconception: Wealth vs. Income

(04:43) Why You Should Think About Wealth as a Ladder

(08:54) Level 1: Living Paycheck to Paycheck

(11:18) How to Grow Your Income in Level 2

(14:04) What Is the 0.01% Rule?

(18:43) Leveling Up from Level 3: Investing & Side Hustles

(21:21) The Risk of Overspending

(22:41) Nick's Research Data Sources

(24:15) The Difference Between Level 3 and Level 4

(29:44) Risks People Face at Level 3 and 4

(33:40) Transitioning from Level 4 to 5

(35:56) How to Manage Lifestyle Creep

(38:49) Level 5 and 6 of the Wealth Ladder

(40:24) The 5 Different Types of Wealth

(41:47) How Does Happiness Correlate with the Wealth Ladder?

(43:47) The Average Timeline to Climb Up the Wealth Ladder

(47:30) Using the 1% Rule to Evaluate Business Opportunities

(50:20) Accessing Travel Freedom Through Points & Miles

(52:36) Biggest Lessons Nick Learned on His Wealth Journey

(53:54) The Impact of Understanding the Wealth Ladder

(55:02) Where to Find Nick's Book and Other Work

 

Connect with Chris

Newsletter | MembershipX | InstagramLinkedIn

 

Editor’s Note: The content on this page is accurate as of the posting date; however, some of our partner offers may have expired. Opinions expressed here are the author's alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, hotel, airline, or other entity. This content has not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of the entities included within the post.