career choices like investing in real estate ( such as a real estate developer , or commercial or residential investor ) , owning intellectual property rights ( patents for inventions , licensing and even copyrights ) , being a bestselling author , investing in stocks or notes or bonds or being a successful business franchise owner are all ways to earn about a half a million dollars or more and thats about the amount needed for americans to earn if they dont want to struggle from paycheck to paycheck but have enough to save enough and to really thrive financially .