10-Year Rich Life Bucket List
Turn a shared dream into a dated monthly savings target
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Time to result
- ~days to results
- Steps
- 5
- Confidence
- 99%
Each partner separately writes what would make the next 10 years feel rich and meaningful, then they compare lists with curiosity rather than immediate negotiation. They choose one experience or project that genuinely matters to both, estimate the cost in a few minutes, select a realistic date, and divide the amount by the months remaining. That calculation turns a distant wish into a recurring savings target. If the monthly amount is too high, the couple can reduce the scope or extend the timeline instead of abandoning the vision. The goal then becomes a positive reference point during regular money conversations: progress is visible, trade-offs have a purpose, and everyday decisions can be judged against something the couple chose together.
Origin
Sethi says he and his wife used the exercise to plan a meaningful 10-year wedding anniversary with the location, guests, timing, and savings requirement made explicit.
Core principles
- 01A shared vision guides everyday financial choices
- 02Partners should dream independently before comparing answers
- 03A meaningful wish becomes actionable when it has a cost and date
- 04The scope or timing can change when the monthly target is unaffordable
How to run it
- 1
Dream separately
Each partner writes what would make the next decade especially meaningful. Do not constrain the first list by debating affordability.
Pro tip Include experiences, learning, family moments, and projects rather than only purchases.
- 2
Compare with curiosity
Share the lists and ask what makes each item meaningful. Encourage the other person's ideas even when you would not choose them yourself.
Watch out Do not use the comparison to rank whose preferences are more sensible.
- 3
Choose one shared goal
Select an item both partners value enough to fund. Define the experience clearly enough to estimate it.
Pro tip Sethi suggests using the larger of two estimates when it helps the couple imagine a fuller version.
- 4
Price and date it
Make a rough cost estimate and choose when the goal should happen. Avoid turning the estimate into a research project.
Pro tip Sethi recommends spending about five minutes on the first estimate.
Watch out A rough estimate should be revisited as the date approaches.
- 5
Set the monthly amount
Divide the estimated cost by the number of months until the target date. If it does not fit, reduce the scope or extend the schedule.
Pro tip Make progress visible during each monthly money conversation.
In the wild
Sethi and his wife identified a 10-year wedding anniversary as a shared priority. They chose the place, the friends and family they wanted there, and the year it would happen. Their separate cost estimates differed substantially, so they used the larger number and converted it into a monthly target.
→ The anniversary became a measurable goal they could move closer to each month.
Common mistakes
Starting with constraints
Debating affordability before naming a meaningful goal can prevent the couple from discovering what they actually value.
Leaving the dream unpriced
A shared wish without a cost, date, and recurring contribution cannot guide current financial choices.
Is it for you?
Best for
It is best for couples who manage many expenses but have no positive picture of what their money is for.
Not ideal for
It is not ideal for urgent debt, safety, or cash-flow crises that must be stabilised before funding discretionary goals.
From the transcript
“write down what would make the next 10 years incredibly rich meaningful to me and to us”
“take the rough amount divide it by the number of months”
From the episode
Ramit Sethi: Never Split The Bill, It's A Red Flag & Renting Isn't Wasting Money!