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In a May episode of The Ramsey Show, Dave Ramsey shared that the two major things he believes help people become millionaires are “steadily investing in retirement” and having “a paid-for house (1).”
According to Ramsey, “those two are the biggest two elements that we see cause people to be a millionaire.”
That being said, saving for retirement and paying off a home are two of the hardest things for Americans to do in the current economy.
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While mortgage rates recently dropped to 5.99% from their record highs of about 7% in 2022 (2), the median sale price of a home remains high at $433,261 as of November 2025 (3).
Alongside the affordability crisis, a study by AARP found that 61% of adults aged 50+ are worried they won’t have enough money to support them in their retirement, and 20% have no savings at all (4).
These realities may be enough to deter you from thinking you can reach that millionaire milestone, but in a recent blog post titled ‘How to Become a Millionaire,’ Ramsey said it himself: “No matter how old or young you are, it is never too late or too early to get started (5).”
A paid-off home
The total American household debt hit $18.59 trillion in the third quarter of 2025, rising by $197 billion from the previous quarter, according to the Federal Reserve Bank of New York (6).
The more debt you’re burdened with, the more difficult it will be to pay off your home. Hence, paying off your other debts helps you pay off your home and get one step closer to a seven-figure net worth.
As mortgage rates have come down from the 2022-highs and are currently hovering around three-year lows, refinancing your mortgage at a lower interest rate could help you pay it off faster.
Plus, shopping around and getting multiple quotes from lenders can help you save substantially. According to LendingTree, borrowers could save an average of $80,024 over the life of a 30-year fixed-rate mortgage — or roughly $2,667 a year — by shopping around and choosing the best rate offered (7).
You can compare rates offered by various lenders near you through Mortgage Research Center.
All you have to do is answer some basic questions about your property and your finances (including your annual income and credit score), and Mortgage Research Center will compile a list of refinance rates available to you.
You can also get connected with custom mortgage offers from lenders, and set up a free introductory call with no obligation to hire.
Invest in real estate without buying a home
If you don’t yet have a home, you can still invest in the housing market and take advantage of its passive income opportunities through platforms like Arrived.
Through Arrived, you can invest in shares of rental homes and vacation rentals without the stress of being a landlord. To get started, simply browse through their selection of vetted properties, each picked for appreciation and income generation potential.
Backed by world-class investors like Jeff Bezos, Arrived makes it easy to fit these properties into your investment portfolio regardless of your income level.
Once you choose a property, you can start investing with as little as $100, potentially earning quarterly dividends.
Another option is mogul, which allows you to invest in blue-chip rental properties across the country.
Founded by former Goldman Sachs real estate investors, mogul’s team hand-picks the top 1% of single-family rental homes nationwide for you.
Each property is vetted to ensure it can still generate at least a 12% return — even in a downside scenario. Across the board, the platform features an average annual IRR of 18.8%. Their cash-on-cash yields, meanwhile, average between 10 to 12% annually.
Given those numbers, it’s no surprise that mogul’s offerings often sell out in under three hours, with most investments ranging from $15,000 to $40,000 per property.
To get started, just sign up for an account and browse their available properties. Once you verify your information, you can invest like a mogul in just a few clicks.
Read More: Approaching retirement with no savings? Don’t panic, you’re not alone. Here are 6 easy ways you can catch up (and fast)
Saving for retirement
Studies show that Americans believe they’ll need to save roughly $1.26 million for retirement (8). This is a pretty hefty number, so getting started sooner rather than later and ensuring you’re putting your retirement fund in the most effective savings vehicle is important.
Ramsey is a proponent of using tax-advantaged retirement accounts — like IRAs — for building your retirement fund.
In fact, in a blog post he proclaimed “invest[ing]15% of your income in tax-advantaged retirement accounts” as the second principle of his investing philosophy. He wrote: “You’ll get the most bang for your buck by using tax-advantaged investment accounts (9).”
When you open a Gold IRA with Thor Metals, you can tap into the tax advantages Ramsey talks about by combining a traditional IRA with the inflation-hedging properties of gold, so your retirement fund has a chance to grow amidst economic uncertainty.
Thor Metals even offers a no-fee buyback program that lets you sell your precious metals at competitive rates if needed.
You can also receive up to $20,000 worth of precious metals when you make a qualifying purchase.
And if you feel unsure about the best way to save for your retirement, you can easily connect with a professional through Advisor.com.
Advisor.com is an online service that matches you with vetted financial advisors suited to your unique money goals and needs.
Simply answer a few questions about your financial situation and Advisor.com will match you with a range of qualified experts. Take advantage of their free consultations to help you find the best advisor to develop your millionaire retirement strategy.
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Article Sources
We rely only on vetted sources and credible third-party reporting. For details, see our editorial ethics and guidelines.
TheRamseyShow, YouTube (1); CNBC (2); Redfin (3); AARP (4); RamseySolutions (5, 9); Federal Reserve Bank of New York (6); LendingTree (7); Northwestern Mutual (8)
This article provides information only and should not be construed as advice. It is provided without warranty of any kind.