From Poor to Rich: Stock Market Investing & Options Trading

by Rolf Strasse

You work hard, yet the paycheck-to-paycheck cycle never seems to end. Bills arrive, paychecks disappear, and savings barely grow. You have read countless books on wealth and investing, but the path to financial independence still feels out of reach. You want to understand the connection between success and money and how ordinary people can build wealth through investing, not just those who already have it.

I wrote this book because I lived that life. I started working at 17 in labor jobs, wearing hand-me-down clothes and watching my parents juggle multiple jobs. Over decades, I learned that ordinary people with ordinary salaries could quietly build wealth through simple, repeatable strategies. Along the way, I experienced more than $150,000 in losses before discovering systematic approaches that work.

This book shares practical lessons from my journey and real-life stories of people like us. It explains investing in plain language, showing you how to

Build wealth patiently through disciplined, proven strategies

Generate income with options using cash-secured puts and covered calls

Understand call and put options as insurance tools rather than gambling

Develop passive income through dividend reinvestment and compound interest

Apply strategies that work alongside a full-time career without constant screen-watching

The truth about wealth is simple. It is built over time with consistency, not shortcuts. The wealthy are not inherently smarter. They started earlier and stayed committed to strategies that work. This book provides the guidance and confidence to take control of your financial future, create security for yourself and your family, and understand the mechanics of money in a way that actually makes sense.

217 pages, Kindle Edition

First published December 25, 2025

About the author

Rolf achieved financial independence through more than three decades of steady work and disciplined investing. While maintaining a full-time career for over 30 years, he quietly mastered stock market investing and options trading by focusing on practical strategies that work for ordinary people rather than Wall Street professionals.

Having lived through bull markets, bear markets, and major financial cycles, Rolf developed a clear, mindset-driven approach to building long-term wealth. Today, Rolf focuses on mentoring people through his books, dedicating much of his free time to helping readers gain financial clarity, confidence, and independence, guided by his belief that financial literacy should be accessible to everyone.

He is actively involved in charitable initiatives centered on education and financial empowerment, and he maintains an active presence on X, formerly Twitter, where he shares insights, lessons, and real-world perspectives on personal finance.

Every book Rolf writes is guided by a single purpose: to help change lives through practical financial understanding. Around the world, countless people struggle financially not because they lack intelligence or education, but because they were never given the opportunity to learn how money truly works. His writing aims to close that gap by offering clarity, confidence, and a starting point for anyone ready to take control of their financial future.

Reviews

[Alejandro Angel Castillo · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book exceeded my expectations

I’ll be honest, when I first saw the title I expected something much more “get rich quick” than what this book actually is. It ended up exceeding my expectations.

I already have experience in the stock market and I’ve read quite a few investing books over the years, and what I really liked here is that there are no false promises. The strategies explained are realistic, achievable, and clearly thought through. But the book doesn’t stop at tactics — it spends a lot of time on discipline, mindset, and building habits that actually lead to financial freedom over time. The rules are strict, but they’re simple and easy to follow, which makes a big difference.

Another strong point is how practical it is for real life. You don’t need to sit in front of charts all day or obsess over the market. The book makes it clear that even one focused hour a day is enough. I also appreciated that it doesn’t push you to quit your job or take reckless risks. Instead, it encourages keeping your current work, being grateful for it, and using your money intelligently. The examples are clear, down to earth, and easy to follow. Overall, it’s a solid, honest book for anyone who wants to build wealth the right way.

[Melanie · Rating 2 out of 5]

I think the title should have depicted what the book actually is more honestly instead of a "hook" to get people's attention. "Creating Generational Wealth" or "Start Young And Retire With Wealth". The author seems to make some assumptions about who is reading the book: IMO, the Ideal Reader is someone middle class (not poor) in their 20's with a spouse and children who wants to plan for retirement and create enough wealth to leave a "legacy" and wealth for your family. The major theme here is that time is the biggest factor in your favor (since you should be young) where money has the time to compound over multiple decades. If you're over 40 you might feel, like I did, like you're reading the wrong book. There's mention of investing just 10k and it can turn into xxxxxx which seems to assume that someone "poor" has 10k or 5k. Late in the book, the author does talk about using investing strategies to make money in the present which was interesting and I'll look into learning more about. But that method also throws around the use of thousands of dollars at a time. Overall I think this was a book written with a specific target audience, that I didn't fit, being 47 years old and no children.

[Jose Ramirez · Rating 5 out of 5]

Inspiring

Excellent reading for anyone aspiring to achieve true financial independence. Easy and realistic to follow. Being doing some of the things described on the book, but definitely is a great complement to my personal financial journey.

[O · Rating 5 out of 5]

I honestly can’t recommend this book enough. It’s a very straightforward, easy read that doesn’t get bogged down in overcomplicating things. The author has a real talent for breaking down big, key concepts into simple terms that just click.