Work out how much money you need to live lifestyle you want, and then take that figure and work out how much money you need invested to produce an equal income.

You might just be pleasantly surprised at how much you really need, and that it is not that far out of your reach.

Are these returns really possible?

The figures we talked about above are really just to give you an idea of what’s possible. Again everything is relative to how much work, time, money and commitment you are prepared to make in order to secure these returns.

A good managed fund will give you around a 10% return per year, but if you want to take things to next level, then only way to do this is to learn how to invest your own money. Returns of 25% and higher are certainly possible, people make returns like this all time. You just need to learn strategies, and apply them. Sure there will be some bumps in road ahead, but consider alternatives.

Your job for this week, is to set some time aside and figure out how much money you will need in order to replace your income. Work out all your living expenses and any other costs you need to consider, and make that your first goal.

Read More Free Investment, Wealth Creation & Personal Finance Articles & Tutorials from the Global Investment Institute.

Another advantage of a secured personal loan is that they're much easier to get than unsecured loans. After all, collateral serves as a guarantee that lender will be getting their money back… that makes them more willing to offer loans to people with questionable credit. Should you default on loan, they still won't lose money that they lend you (though they will have to go through trouble and expense of possessing collateral and selling it.)

The main disadvantage of a secured personal loan is penalty for defaulting on loan… losing your collateral. In some cases this isn't as bad as others… after all, it's much better to lose some rare coins than it is to lose your house. With fast and consistent repayment, however, this drawback can be easily avoided. The fear of losing your collateral can even be turned into an advantage after all, you have a wonderful reason to make all of your payments on time.

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