Your Best CASHFLOW® Game Tips

By CASHFLOW® Game Players in the Global Community

(I love this game.. Have been playing the computer version of Cashflow. The board game version is cool too.. But need more ppl and time to organize.. heee!
Anyway.. these tips are quite useful.. can learn and apply.. for improved financial knowledge.. play the game!)


TIP #1: Never...Ever...Quit.
I believe that there are many things to understand to succeed at the game. But, for me, the most important is: NEVER, EVER, EVER, EVER QUIT -- ON YOURSELF! No matter how you feel, NEVER QUIT!
– Kathleen M

TIP #2: Step Out of Your Comfort Zone.
CASHFLOW 101 is so powerful because it reflects your true behavior and allows you to take risks in a safe environment. Step out of your comfort zone, and do things you may not feel comfortable doing in the “real world.” You’ll be amazed at how it changes your perspective.
– Jack N

TIP #3: Celebrate the Joy of Success.
The biggest 'tip' I have learned so far is that your way to wealth isthe joy- not the wealth- you achieve. This became very clear to me after playing dozens of times and realizing that I would actually SKIP the Dreams on the Fast Track! I was more interested in winning the game than 'golfing around the world.'
– Jeff B

TIP #4: Focus on Your Goals.
I found that while playing the game, I would focus on the 'negative' spaces- "Baby" or "Downsized" – and hope not to land there. I was focusing specifically on what I didn't want, and, oddly enough, landing on those spaces most often. I began to repeat the numbers I WANTED to have come up, and just as oddly, those numbers seemed to come up more than mere chance would support. The lesson is simple: focus on your goals, not on what may go wrong.
– Hugh C

TIP #5: Only Take Advice from Successful People.
When the Opportunity Card comes up, some people look to fellow players for guidance. Make sure that those you take advice from are having success and on their way to getting out of the Rat Race!
– Cal J

TIP #6: Never Say “Can’t.”
There is ALWAYS a way. Think outside the box. Find a way to make your “can’t” a “can.”
– Grace N

TIP #7: Take Note of Your Overall Habits.
After playing the game, take note of your overall habits- good and bad. Evaluate how those habits helped or hindered your game play. In the next game, make a concerted effort to change the habits that may have prevented you from getting out of the Rat Race.
– Toni E

TIP #8: Get Rid of Bad Debt.
The thing that has expedited my exit from the Rat Race: Paying off ‘bad debt.’
– Bridget S

TIP #9: Create Your Own Rules.
Creating your own rules (or modifying the game rules) can make CASHFLOW 101 more challenging. For instance, play a game where you and your teammates: (a) Pass on purchasing $1 & $5 stock deals; (b) Remove $0 down real estate transactions; (c) Remove all the doodad cards that are $100 or less.
– Dylan B

TIP #10: Don’t Limit Yourself.
Along with bad debt, there is good debt. Don’t limit yourself to your cash on-hand. The lower the price of the stock, the more money you should borrow. When you eventually sell your shares, your rate of return will more than make up for any bank payments you have to make.
– Roosevelt C

TIP #11: Give Back.
Giving back is a necessary step in getting out of the Rat Race. Newton’s law states, “For every action there is a reaction.” Give and you shall receive.
– Lisa N

TIP #12: Put Your Ego on the Shelf.
The game has showed me some things about myself I never would have guessed- like the fact that my ego gets me in more trouble than anything else. The deals you turn down count just as much as the deals you make. Don't let your ego get you in over your head.
– Tami R

TIP #13: Be Able to Make Quick Decisions.
As Robert says, “Fortune favors the prepared mind.” When the “Opportunity Card” comes up, you need to be able to determine if it is a good or bad deal quickly. Otherwise, just like in the “real world,” you might miss a great opportunity.
– Phil L

TIP #14: Learn From Your Mistakes.
Mistakes are opportunities to learn something new. Take risks, make mistakes… and be smarter for it!
– George C

TIP #15: Give Feedback to Fellow Players, Not Advice.
Feedback occurs after the action, advice happens before the action. Your fellow players will learn more if you tell them what they did and how they might try a different approach next time, rather than telling them what to do and how to do it.
– John D

TIP #16: Reinvest Your Cash.
Don’t let it sit there doing nothing… get your money working for you so you can get out of the Rat Race!
– Jenny M

TIP #17: Learn From Others.
Take note of fellow players’ winning game strategies. Next time, test them out for yourself.
– Cheridan S

TIP #18: Overcome Fear.
Fear isn’t the problem, it’s how you handle fear: specifically, the fear of losing money. Losers are defeated by failure. Winners are inspired by it.
– Jorge T

TIP #19: Always Look For Opportunities.
No matter where you are in the game… always be on the lookout for opportunities.
– Elle J

TIP #20: Reflect on Lessons Learned.
Always think about what you can learn from the game you just played. You may not always have time to reflect on the game as it is played (and sometimes it is more interesting NOT to play, but to just observe!), but you should always take time later to think about the game and what it taught you. This is part of the educational process and so it should be savored. You can learn a lot about how investing works, how well your investment strategies pay off, and what it takes to exit the real Rat Race.
– Dave G