7. Get professional advice

A good financial planner can help you fill your portfolio with the right investments and dump the wrong ones. You don’t need to relinquish control, but you do need to form a good relationship with an expert in this complicated area.

According to another Fidelity survey, more than 6 out of 10 millionaire investors use financial advisers to help manage and protect their wealth.

Maybe finding the right adviser could tip the scales toward the seven-figure milestone. If you can’t afford to have a financial planner manage your money, many will review your portfolio and make recommendations for a one-time fee.

Bankrate’s “Save a million dollars calculator” can show how long it will take for you to reach your big goal.

6. Start your own business

In their book “The Millionaire Next Door: The Surprising Secrets of America’s Wealthy,” authors Thomas Stanley and William Danko say that two-thirds of millionaires are self-employed, and that entrepreneurs represent the majority of that group. The rest are professionals, such as doctors and accountants.

Entrepreneurs create most of the country’s wealth. Most millionaires in the making — 8 out of 10 — earned or increased their assets on their own, a survey by Fidelity Investments found. That holds true for actual millionaires as well.

5. Invest in ways that work for you

It takes money to make money, but that doesn’t mean you need a lot to invest.

Open an account with a mutual fund company that has no-load funds and low expense ratios. Build a diverse portfolio, and you can reasonably expect to earn 8 to 10 percent annually on your investments over the long haul.

If you have the initial cash to put into buying property, consider investing in real estate. You can create an additional revenue stream for yourself by renting, and earn long-term through appreciation.

You can also invest your money in the stock market by using an online broker like Robinhood or E-Trade.

If you want to increase your investments or diversify further, look into passive income opportunities. Side gigs like selling informational products or choosing dividend-yielding stocks that aren’t time-consuming can help you offset spending and dedicate more to saving and investing long-term.

4. Lay off the credit

Some people say that if you can eat it or wear it, don’t put it on your credit card. That’s good advice, but take it further. Try not to put anything on your cards that you can’t pay off in two or three months.

You need only one or two credit cards. If you have a fistful, pay them off. Remember, debt holds you back.

“It reduces cash flow for other things, including investing,” Welch says. “If no one gave you money to borrow, you’d be better off.”

3. Live below your means

Living according to a “treat yourself” philosophy can quickly lead to debt and unnecessary liabilities.

Don’t be a walking billboard for overpriced designer clothes, shoes, sunglasses or jewelry.

And, don’t allow your house or car payments to be budget-busters. Use Bankrate’s mortgage calculator to determine how much house you can really afford.

2. Save, save, save

The end result of your financial plan should be systematic investment. Get in the habit of saving money. Build an emergency fund in a money market account so you don’t have to raid the rest of your savings and investments when an unexpected major expense arises.

Make a point of saving at least half of every pay raise.

Look into your savings options so you are sure you’re getting the best return on what you put in. Open a savings account or CD with good rates. Think about your retirement fund. Work toward maxing out your 401(k) and then putting any additional funds into a traditional or Roth IRA.

Diversification of your savings can be the most important key in getting the most out of what you are able to save.

1. Develop a written financial plan

Saying you want to be wealthy isn’t good enough. You need to come up with a workable plan and put it on paper.

“The written plan forces you to do something,” says Stewart Welch of The Welch Group in Birmingham, Alabama.

“Calculate what you need to earn and how to invest. The plan isn’t just the goal, it’s the whole thing — the dream, the goals, the options.”

The options, he adds, are “scenario planning” — all the ways you can accomplish that goal, such as opening a Roth IRA or contributing to a 401(k).

It’s a matter of choices

That doesn’t mean you should decorate your home with cheap plastic lawn furniture, forgo cable TV and dine on mac and cheese every night. But do you really need to buy a car that’s so expensive, or do you have to have that 60-inch, high-definition TV right now?

Many people who choose wealth over stuff wouldn’t consider spending money on the “latest and greatest” because they know their money can be put to better use elsewhere.

Buying a “liability” would probably cause them stress because they’d rather buy an asset — something that will appreciate over time and give them a return on their investment.

Flurry says he has a hard time getting some of his older clients to spend their money.

“They’ve been savers all their lives and the thought of spending $5,000 or $10,000 on a vacation is ridiculous,” he says. “It doesn’t matter that they’re worth $3 million.”

With help from those who advise people already at or over the million mark, we’ve come up with these seven steps to becoming wealthy.

7 steps to becoming a millionaire:

7 steps to becoming a millionaire:

1. Develop a written financial plan.
2. Save, save, save.
3. Live below your means.
4. Lay off the credit.
5. Invest in ways that work for you.
6. Start your own business.
7. Get professional advice.

“Debt holds people back,” says Jason Flurry, certified financial planner and the founder and president of Legacy Partners Financial Group in Woodstock, Georgia. “They buy liabilities, and they make those payments forever.”

How to become a millionaire: 7 steps to reach your goal

You may think you’ll never get rich unless you hit the lottery, win big in Las Vegas or come into a big chunk of family money.

But becoming a millionaire is within reach for those who start young and develop the right habits. And anyone at any age can develop the traits that increase wealth and decrease debt.

10. Ramp up your tech skills

When you work for yourself, there’s no tech support person to call when things go haywire. Consider taking a computer class at a community college or, if you’re a Mac user, at an Apple store in your neighborhood. If you need to give presentations, you should become conversant with web-based meeting programs such as GoToMeeting, Cisco WebEx, Join.Me, TeamViewer, Zoom or Google+ Hangouts.

All of these tips will help you create a home-based business that has legs. But the biggest ingredient to your success will be your own drive and determination. The dreamy idea of working from home can be a nightmare if you don’t pay attention to the details.

9. Spread the word

Learning how to promote yourself is a lynchpin for success. In addition to having a LinkedIn page, consider having Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest and Twitter pages for your business. Check out competitors to see which networks they use professionally. Photographers, for example, often showcase their work on Instagram, while Pinterest is popular with people selling consumer goods such as jewelry and glassware.

8. Network electronically

Get active in LinkedIn groups that relate to your industry and clients. Make posts and comment on posts by others. This will display your expertise and give you a feeling of being connected to a community. Check out this post on ways to improve your LinkedIn profile.

7. Don’t overlook the human touch

Working at home can prevent you from developing workplace relationships and doing face-to-face networking for new clients. Push yourself to get out of the house regularly for lunch or meet with prospective clients or colleagues for coffee. And go to industry conferences. At the very least, make it a point from time to time to make a phone call instead of zapping off an email or text.

6. Find a mentor

Working solo can be isolating. Sometimes you’ll need a professional to tap for some advice. Look for a mentor among your industry connections. This relationship can take time to build, but it’s worth it.

Another option is to find a virtual colleague. PivotPlanet, an online mentoring service, lets you connect with its expert advisers via one-on-one video and phone conferences. It’s designed to help shape a relationship that can evolve over a series of sessions at regular intervals or on an as-needed basis. These meetings are billed hourly at rates of $40 to $125.

5. Establish a work schedule

It’s easy to get drawn into work filling every waking hour. You must be disciplined, manage your time well and be a self-starter. Set daily work hours and do your best to adhere to them. That’s easier said than done, but burnout will do nothing to boost your business.

4. Set aside a precise place for work

You should be able to take a tax deduction for 100 percent of costs directly related to your home office, such as the purchase of a work computer or printer toner.

The other kind of tax-deductible home office expenses are “indirect” ones that are prorated, based on the size of your home and office. These are things like your mortgage or rent, insurance and utility bills. Many people with home offices skip the tax break because they’re concerned the write-offs will trigger a tax audit. That’s unlikely.

In general, to get the deduction, the area must be used for work exclusively and on a regular basis, either as your main place of business or a location to meet with clients or to do paperwork, such as billing and ordering supplies. That means your kids can’t play games on your work computer when you’re away, and your spouse can’t set up the new elliptical machine in the home office space.

To get the deduction, you must file Form 8829, "Expenses for Business Use of Your Home." For full details, go to IRS Publication 587.

Generally speaking, if the square footage of your home office equals 10 percent of your home's total, you can claim 10 percent of its expenses. The IRS also has a “simplified option” rule, which allows you to deduct $5 per square foot of your home office on your return, with a maximum write-off of $1,500 (based on a maximum of 300 square feet). It’s a good idea to take a picture of the space so that you have a record, in case the IRS does scrutinize your return.

3. Don’t ignore the IRS

You will need to pay estimated federal taxes on business income each quarter, instead of once a year on April 15. Depending on the location of your business, you may be required to pay state and local income and business taxes, too. Go to the IRS Self-Employed Individual Tax Center to learn how to pay the federal taxes. You may also want to consult with your accountant.

2. Update your insurance

It’s a good idea to add an insurance rider to your homeowner’s or renter’s policy in case a delivery person or client tumbles on your steps. Home-business owners typically get little or no coverage from their standard homeowner’s policy.

The cost of a rider might be around $100 a year per $2,500 of additional coverage. The added cost would vary by the type of work you do, the amount of insurance you want and the volume of inventory stored at home that you’ll want to protect from theft or damage.

If you need further coverage, you can opt for a business owners policy — an insurance package that covers your business property and provides liability coverage for clients coming to your home. These policies generally cost from $500 to $3,500 per year.

Each state has its own rules about insurance that can be offered to home-based outfits. Look up your particulars at the Insurance Information Institute, an industry trade group and information clearinghouse.

1. Pay attention to the permits

If you’re running a small business out of your home, you may need tax registrations, business and occupational licenses, and permits from state and local governments in order to operate legally. Check to see that your homeowner’s association is OK with the idea. It might have restrictions.

For help with questions like these, tap the experts at SCORE, a nonprofit that offers free business advice. The U.S. Small Business Administration is another source of help in getting you up to speed on permits and more. AARP’s small business center also includes articles and advice.

10 Tips to Starting a Home Business

There are easy steps you can take for a successful launch of your home business.

Running your own business from home has a real charm to it. You’re your own boss. Your working hours are flexible. Costs are low since you don’t have to pay rent on a brick-and-mortar office. And there’s no need to ask permission from anyone to, say, walk your dog when the spirit moves you.

That said, not everyone is hardwired for running a successful home-based business. Making a serious go of it requires careful planning and hard work.

Getting ready to take the plunge? Here are 10 tips you’ll want to consider.