Your parents’ rules for getting rich don’t work anymore, Mrs. Dow Jones says — but this does

MarketWatch guest columnist Haley Sacks (aka Mrs. Dow Jones) argues that traditional wealth rules no longer fit today’s economy and urges readers to make math-based financial choices. Key takeaways: don’t rush to buy a home — run the numbers (a $600,000 house can cost ~$7,500/month all-in vs $5,000 mortgage), consider renting and investing the difference, use the right credit cards and pay balances in full to capture rewards, and start investing early (diversified index funds historically return ~8–12% annualized). The piece nudges more individuals toward investing in index funds and credit-card reward strategies rather than treating homeownership as the primary wealth lever.