Tired of trying to get ahead financially, only to end up back at the bottom of the hill like Sisyphus? Know this: true wealth creation, like anything worth achieving in life, does not come easy.

Stop chasing ‘get rich quick’ schemes and embrace the harder road – it may take longer and you’ll expend virtual and real sweat along the way, but you’ll end up with real wealth at the end of your journey.

Let’s delve into a few of these ‘get rich smart’ strategies below…

Open a high-yield savings account

The historically low interest rates of the past decade have made saving money a challenge for those holding traditional savings and checking accounts. Fortunately, some financial institutions now offer accounts which offer a higher rate than the laughably bad 0.01% that many of us get presently.

With banks like UFB Direct and FNBO Direct offering rates of 1.6% on balances as of 2018, returns are still anemic compared to historical highs enjoyed during the 1980s. However, with the recent rise in direct rates by the Fed, you owe it to yourself to get a better deal for the money you choose to lock up in savings.

Invest in the stock market

Think the stock market is a scam? Tell that to investors who kept the faith during the lowest parts of the Great Recession – after hitting bottom in the 6,000s in the dark days of early 2009, the Dow Jones rebounded dramatically, rising to a peak of 26,000 earlier this year.

While there are jitters at the present moment, the forces of the economy always re-balance themselves in accordance with the challenges which confront them.

Still scared? Stick the investment portion of your paycheck in an index fund and carry on with your life. However, if you are willing to learn a bit about how markets work and are prepared to take on greater risk, you can achieve gains far above what the average investor earns.

Get familiar with a segment of the economy you know well, and then learn how to make money on eToro. Through trial and error and continuing study, you can achieve gains that will allow you earn lasting wealth.

Develop streams of passive income

Think ‘making money while you sleep’ is nothing but a scam pushed by multi level marketers? Despite its overuse by slimy businesspeople, it is possible to build passive income streams which pay you whether you are actively doing work or not.

The most tangible example of this arrangement can be found in investment real estate – an investor buys a house, cleans it up, renovates it, and rents out bedrooms and the basement at a monthly rate which exceeds the cost of the mortgage and property taxes.

Another old school method: stocks which pay dividends. This is a class of stock which pays out a set percentage of a corporation’s profits at set intervals – the more you own, the bigger the payout. By taking your dividend and re-investing it in more stock, you can build a nice passive income as your ownership percentage increases over time.

In the modern age, tech savvy entrepreneurs are earning a passive income online by doing things like setting up niche sites with Google AdSense ads, or by making compelling YouTube videos. As the number of sites and videos build up over time, the compounding income that results can reach a point where you can free yourself from the 9-5 grind.

Apply for a rewards credit card

If you are like most people these days, you probably run many expenses through a charge card. Ask yourself this, though – what perks do you get in return for your annual fee, or any interest you pay when you ending up running a balance?

The credit card industry is an insanely competitive one – get the most perks you possibly can. With benefits ranging from air miles you can redeem for flights to cash back incentives which can add up to a tidy sum, taking a couple hours to read over the latest offers could yield you thousands of dollars in free perks per year.