Word-Of-the-Week #2014: Prosperity
January 15, 2026 by Susan Clarke
Prosperity – an economic state of growth with rising profits; having good fortune.
Do you eat out in restaurants more than you do at home? The last time you got a raise did you upgrade your apartment, car or wardrobe?
This week features the last half of Jordan Cooper’s article, “Mark Cuban says if you want to build real wealth, eliminate these 7 expenses immediately. Here’s to having a truly Happy & Prosperous New Year!
- Most people sabotage their own wealth-building by spending money on things that provide zero return.
“Mark Cuban didn’t build billions by spending carelessly. One of his most consistent messages over the years has been simple: most people sabotage their own wealth-building by spending money on things that provide zero return.
To Recap:
1) Credit card interest
2) New cars and auto loans
3) Subscription services you barely use
4) Luxury items for status signaling
5) Eating out constantly
Cuban has mentioned that eating out regularly is a massive drain on potential wealth. The markup on restaurant food combined with frequency makes this one of the biggest budget killers.
He’s not saying never eat out. He’s saying that making restaurant meals your default instead of cooking is expensive and adds up to serious money over time.
A family spending $600 monthly eating out could save $7,000 annually by cooking at home more. Invested properly, that compounds into significant wealth over decades.
I’ve tracked my own restaurant spending and been shocked by the totals. What feels like casual spending becomes thousands annually that could be working for you instead.
6) Extended warranties and insurance add-ons
Cuban has talked about how extended warranties and additional insurance coverage are usually bad deals designed to profit companies, not protect consumers.
Most electronics don’t break during warranty periods. Most additional insurance options duplicate coverage you already have or protect against unlikely events.
His advice is to self-insure for small items by saving the warranty cost instead. You’ll come out ahead over time by not buying protection you probably won’t need.
People buy these add-ons from fear, but statistically you’re better off taking the risk and keeping the money. Cuban understands that insurance companies wouldn’t offer these products if they weren’t profitable for them, not you.
7) Lifestyle inflation
This is Cuban’s biggest warning: don’t increase spending as income grows. Lifestyle inflation destroys wealth building faster than almost anything else.
You get a raise, so you upgrade your apartment or car or wardrobe. Your income grows but your savings don’t because spending grows in parallel. Cuban calls this the trap that keeps high earners broke.
His approach when his income increased was keeping his lifestyle relatively stable and banking the difference. That’s how wealth actually builds, through the gap between earning and spending.
I’ve watched this play out with friends who make good money but somehow never build savings. Every income increase gets absorbed by lifestyle upgrades, leaving them as financially vulnerable as before.
- Conclusion
Cuban’s advice isn’t complicated. Stop paying interest on depreciating assets. Stop spending to impress people. Stop letting small recurring expenses drain you. Stop inflating your lifestyle as you earn more.
These are uncomfortable truths because they require going against social norms. Everyone has car payments and credit card debt and subscriptions and lifestyle inflation. Cuban’s point is that everyone is also broke or close to it.
Real wealth building requires doing what most people won’t do. Driving older cars. Skipping status purchases. Living below your means even as your means increase. These choices feel restrictive but they’re actually liberating.
You don’t need Cuban’s income to apply his principles. You just need the discipline to eliminate expenses that destroy wealth and redirect that money toward building it instead.
The question is whether you’re willing to be uncomfortable now to be wealthy later. Most people aren’t. That’s why Cuban’s advice works for those who actually follow it.
This week’s focus is on having prosperity. If you buy extended warranties how many times have you needed them? Do you feel a need to buy things just to impress people? How would it feel to drive an older car? And how would it feel to have the discipline to eliminate expenses that destroy wealth and redirect that money toward building it instead?
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