A 40-10 rule for wealth and making a difference

With the recent earthquake/tsunamis it is hard to write about anything meaningful about selling Web services, and for sure our prayers go out to anyone touched by this disaster.

The closest tangent that comes to mind — appropriate or not — is how we spend the money we make from our business. In business school, a bunch of students made a pledge to stick to the 50-40-10 rule, which goes something like this:

Whatever you earn:

– Do your best to live on half, even if it means living simply and not “keeping up with the Jones.” Keep your expenses low.

– Save 40% for the future: emergencies, education, retirement, etc.

– Give 10% away to those less fortunate or causes that help them out.

It takes discipline and a sense of gratitude to follow this rule, especially as we get older and our expectations tend to rise. But it is worth consideration, as it could make a meaningful difference to yourself, your family, and those in need.

Is anyone successfully following this guideline, or something close? Please share.