Thread by @ryanOpulus

You feel guilty every time you buy coffee.

You track every $5 expense religiously.

But you're still not building real wealth.

Here's why the latte factor is sabotaging your income potential:

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The latte factor trains your brain to think small.

When you obsess over $5 decisions, you start seeing money as scarce.

This scarcity mindset doesn't stay contained to coffee purchases.

It bleeds into every financial decision you make.

Small expense focus creates small income expectations:

• You avoid big risks
• You negotiate smaller raises
• You focus on small dollar decisions

I've worked with hundreds of high-income clients.

None of my wealthy clients track their coffee spending.

Instead, they focus on growing their income by 10% each year.

When you earn more, $5 decisions become irrelevant.

The wealthy think strategically.

They ask: "How do I increase my value by 10% this year?"

Not: "How do I save $5 today?"

One approach builds wealth. The other builds anxiety.

Here's what actually works:

Focus on value creation, not optimizing every expense.

• Negotiate your salary every 18 months
• Build skills that increase your market value
• Start a side business or consulting practice
• Invest in assets, not expense tracking apps

The math that actually matters:

$5 coffee daily = $1,825/year saved

10% raise on $150K salary = $15,000/year earned

One promotion beats 8 years of skipping coffee. But you'll never see that promotion if you think small.

Stop feeling guilty about that coffee.

Stop tracking every $5 expense religiously.

Start building real wealth instead.

Your new focus: earning 10% more this year.

Think like someone who creates wealth, not someone who hoards pennies.

TL;DR — The Latte Factor Keeps You Broke

• Small expenses create small thinking
• Small thinking limits income potential
• Wealthy focus on 10% annual growth
• Strategic income beats tactical savings
• One skill beats years of tracking
• Buy coffee, build income instead

That's it.

If you want more insights like this:

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Disclaimer: This is my experience working with high-income millennials. Not tax, financial, or legal advice. Always work with qualified professionals to understand your specific situation.