Everybody wants to be wealthy, but few people really commit themselves to doing what it takes to achieve their dream. The road to wealth is a simple one, but takes determination, capital and commitment – if you’re willing to take the steps to get there, you can make your dreams of wealth a reality:

Savings. A commitment to building up your savings is the foundation of any financial plan. The conventional wisdom says to pay yourself first – even if it’s just 5 percent of your income, take it off the top before you do anything else. There are always other things to use your money for, and if you don’t make savings your top priority, you’re unlikely to save at all.

Investing in the stock market. You don’t need to be a millionaire to invest in stocks. Take a little time to learn about trading stocks, set up a simple trading plan, and spread out your risk – put some of your money higher risk stock, some in more stable, lower risk stocks. Building a portfolio should be a cornerstone of financial planning.

Investing in property. Putting some of your money into real estate will provide consistent cash flow, particularly if you own income property like an apartment building or rental homes. You don’t have to make huge investments in property, just carefully chosen ones.

Investing in business. Whether it’s your own business or someone else’s, putting money into a business is good for the economy and good for your portfolio. Network marketing is a great place to start if your looking for a solid long term business option, names such as avon, amway, pyxism and mary kay cosmetics come to mind as reputable network marketing companies.

Tax Minimization. This is where a good accountant comes in – they can help you figure out ways to lower your tax burden by setting limited liability partnerships or helping you incorporate, private annuities, deferments and other strategies. The less you pay in taxes, the more you have to invest.

Asset protection. Some of this overlaps with tax minimization, with limited partnerships, insurance policies and other strategies helping you avoid paying too many taxes while keeping your money safe. As you acquire more and more money, you’ll want good advice from an accountant or investment counselor – you may even want to invest in off-shore interests for the tax breaks.

Retirement funding. Make sure that you’re prepared for the future by having a solid strategy for your retirement funds. You can invest in a single fun and just let it grow for the next 30 years, or break your investments up into a collection of different funds. Either way, you may make the decisions about how to invest yourself or seek advice from a professional, who can help you choose stable funds for long-term growth.

Creating wealth is more an art than a science, and there’s no one way to achieve your goals. It takes creativity, hard work, a certain amount of luck and a commitment to your financial plan. The biggest mistake people make as they earn more money is to spend more, too – manage your money with savings and investments, and acquire annuities that will assure you have a comfortable life in your golden years.