To become financially free is a dream for most of us. Sadly, in today’s world, not everyone will be able to achieve this goal. However, there are ways to get financially free quicker.

Each year, Americans spend more than $100 billion on lottery tickets and almost always in the hopes of winning it big and achieving financial freedom. But with odds of 1 in 175 million, the lottery is not a great way to make money. Instead, follow these tips to help you start saving money for your future:

1. Set A Goal.

Make a list of the things you want to do in life, and set a realistic budget to reach them. Apply the Pareto principle to your budget by focusing on the 20% of your expenses that account for 80% of your spending.  Some would love to be able to afford to travel the world on a whim, while others dream of not having to worry about their next meal.

2. Have A Budget

Making a budget (or sticking to it) is the single most important thing you can do to achieve your financial goals. Everyone is different, so you will have to figure out a budgeting system that works for you. For example, if you are a big spender, you can try starting a savings account to save for big expenses, like a vacation or a car. Then, try to put at least 10% of your income into savings each month.

3. Pay Your Credit In Full

If you want greater financial freedom, it makes sense to pay off credit cards in full every month. One of the first financial moves I ever made was to pay off my credit card. When I graduated college, I had a lot of debt and no real plan to pay it off. My college debts were in the thousands of dollars, and my credit card debt was nearly $1,000. That’s when I came up with a plan.

4. Start Investing Today

If you’re not already investing in the stock market, you’re missing out on one of the most powerful wealth-building tools available today. In fact, a recent survey found that Americans who invest in stocks have an average net worth more than twice that of those who don’t. While investing isn’t for everyone and can come with significant risks it’s still worth doing if you have the time and desire to learn.

By age 35, most Americans will have accumulated some debt and have some money invested but seldom enough to make a difference in their quality of life. In fact, only about 20 percent of Americans have invested in anything that yields 7 percent per year or more than the number you’d need to accumulate a million dollars by the time you hit 70. But it’s never too late to start saving and investing wisely. If you’re 35 or older, you still have time to get on track.

5. Create Savings

Starting to save money is easy, but keeping it up can be tough. One of the best ways to make sure that you don’t spend more than you have to is to set up an automatic savings plan. This way, you won’t even have to think about it.

Saving money is a great way to set yourself up for financial success, but the sad fact is a lot of Americans just aren’t doing it. Nearly a quarter of Americans have an emergency savings account that contains less than $500. To make matters worse, an additional 45% of Americans have less than $1,000 in savings.

If you’re lucky enough to have a job (or more than one), you’re already on your way to some level of financial freedom. But you can do more to increase your net worth and achieve true financial independence.

There are a lot of reasons to want financial freedom, and different people have different priorities. It could be the freedom to travel, to pursue creative endeavors, or to just be able to spend time with family without worrying about money. Whatever the reason, there’s no denying that paying bills and worrying about money is stressful, and the less you have to do it, the better you’ll feel.