Rich Friends Matter.

How to Get Rich Friends

By Lane Cummings,

Having rich friends can open you up to a world of benefits.

True friends, be they rich or poor, make your life better. They are there for you, they laugh with you and they support you through the adventures of life. However, having rich friends poses certain advantages. Rich friends can help you enter powerful social circles where you might meet celebrities and politicians. Rich friends can give you solid financial advice, lend you access to their expensive toys such as boats and chalets overseas and potentially back your investments, not to mention expose you to a more glamorous world.

Instructions

• 1

Move to a neighborhood that is affluent, if you can possibly afford it. This is a wise move even if you have to live in a tiny shoebox, as it will put you in the constant company of rich people. You'll constantly be meeting people when walking your dog, jogging or grocery shopping and it will give you a natural place from which to start friendships. Rich people in your neighborhood will naturally consider you one of them.

• 2

Join a country club or private club if you can afford a membership. If you can't, consider taking a part-time job there. Even though you'll be collecting a paycheck, it will still give you the opportunity to hobnob with wealthy people. For example, if you're tending bar in a swanky club, constantly chatting with millionaires, you have strong odds of actually befriending some. Don't work a job where you'll have to wear a uniform as it creates an unspoken barrier between classes, says Ginie Polo Sayles, author of "How to Marry the Rich."

• 3

Volunteer at a charity event. While tickets to charity events are expensive, you won't have to pay a dime if you volunteer. Millionaires and other high-income wage earners frequent such places and it will be easier to meet them there.

• 4

Get an M.B.A. An M.B.A. degree qualifies you for jobs in finance, investments, and media and entertainment -- jobs where you'll potentially make a lot of money and meet people who are doing the same.

• 5

Employ the proper etiquette. Rich people are often wary of gold-diggers, so it's important to make it seem like money is not important to you. Don't talk about how much things cost. You can accept gifts from rich friends, but never accept money, as that could lead to a lack of respect,