There's a whole cult to the "reduce spending" step... check out Mr. Money Mustache, a blog dedicated to achieving happiness with a frugal lifestyle.

My favorite blogpost of his: The Cheap Ticket Into The Elite Class. In it, he suggests that "Simply Knowing how to Use a Goddamned Computer" is the most important education in this world. (Even more true in light of the opportunities that Steemit presents ;) )