The 7 best lessons successful people taught us about money in 2018

One of the best ways to build wealth is to learn from those who have been there, done that.

When it comes to money, they know what works and what doesn't, as well as what the value of a dollar really means — and they're not shy when it comes to sharing their financial wisdom.

Why wouldn't you take a piece of their advice?

To help you get your finances in order (since that's your New Year's resolution for 2019, right?), we've rounded up some of the best money lessons from 2018 that successful people have shared.

From tips on investing and paying off debt to growing your savings and the real importance of money, these lessons are bound to help set you on a path for financial success — or at least shift your perspective.

Here's what successful entrepreneurs, authors, and CEOs had to say about money this year.

Suze Orman: Invest in low-cost index funds.

Suze Orman: Invest in low-cost index funds. BusinessInsider

Orman, a New York Times bestselling personal finance author, called investing in low-cost index funds "the winning ticket" on an episode of financial planner Farnoosh Torabi's "So Money" podcast.

"Here's what I found works so great: women love when things are on sale. They do. They wait, they'll buy it cheaper. They love that. You explain dollar cost averaging to them, and why buying these stocks on sale is exactly what they want to do."

She suggested investing with a small amount of money each month that you'd be comfortable losing, such as $100. You can even do it through contributions to your 401(k), she said.

"As soon as they get that, it's okay, and they'll be better off when the market goes down for the long run, because they're buying more shares. We've taken the fear out of it."

Brad Katsuyama: The amount of money you make doesn't equal success.

Brad Katsuyama: The amount of money you make doesn't equal success. BusinessInsider

Katsuyama, CEO and cofounder of Investors Exchange (IEX), told Business Insider's Rich Feloni on our podcast "This is Success" that

"I could not tell you if you asked me, if you had a gun to my head right now and said, 'What's the value of your stake in IEX?' I would miss it. I would be wrong. I don't know. So that tells me it's not about money.

"I think people equate success to work. I actually don't, and I learned the lesson early that identifying yourself too much with one thing in a way sets you up to be dramatically disappointed at some point."

Rus Yusupov: Don't chase money.

Rus Yusupov: Don't chase money. BusinessInsider

Bethenny Frankel: It's not the salary that matters early on, it's the experience.

Bethenny Frankel: It's not the salary that matters early on, it's the experience. BusinessInsider

Frankel, CEO of Skinnygirl former star of the "The Real Housewives of New York City," told Feloni on an episode of "This is Success" that in order to have a career like hers, you have to overcome obstacles, keep trying to find passion, and have a willingness to do a job.

She added: "Those people are the people who are successful, not the people that are sitting there making $24,000 a year, complaining that they shouldn't be making coffee, that they shouldn't be doing this, they didn't go to school for this. It's called tough s---. Tough s---."

William D. Danko: Building wealth boils down to saving, resourcefulness, and maximizing income.

William D. Danko: Building wealth boils down to saving, resourcefulness, and maximizing income. BusinessInsider

Danko, the bestselling author of " The Millionaire Next Door" and " Richer Than a Millionaire," suggests a three-step approach to building wealth.

He explained it during a Q&A with the Washington Post:

"First, commit to saving 20% of your income. Currently, most save about 5%. It is hard to get ahead and be an investor without saving first.

"Second, be a good steward of your resources. This includes having stable personal relationships, and good personal habits. These behaviors will lead to a longer life, and more compounding opportunities.

Third, consider having more than one stream of income. A second job can be beneficial.

Sallie Krawcheck: The secret to a good negotiation is both sides winning.

Sallie Krawcheck: The secret to a good negotiation is both sides winning. BusinessInsider

Krawcheck, a former Wall Street executive and the CEO and co-founder of Ellevest offered up her best tips for a successful negotiation during an #AskSallie series

Larry Morrow: Investing in yourself is better than investing in material items.

Larry Morrow: Investing in yourself is better than investing in material items. BusinessInsider

Morrow, a New Orleans-based entrepreneur, told Feloni on an episode of "This is Success" that it's important not to focus on material things.

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The 7 best lessons successful people taught us about money in 2018

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