The Best Piece of Financial Advice I Ever Got
I was 24, fresh out of college, working my first real job, and living paycheck to paycheck in a shared apartment. One night, I called my dad in a panic because my car needed repairs and I didn’t have the money. I expected a lecture, but instead, he said something that stuck with me:
“Pay yourself first.”
At the time, it sounded almost too simple. I asked him what he meant, and he told me to take a portion of my paycheck—no matter how small—and put it aside before I paid bills or bought anything else.
So the next payday, I set aside $50. Just that. Then $75 the next. A year later, I had over $2,000 in a savings account that I didn’t touch. When a job layoff came unexpectedly, that cushion kept me afloat for three months.
That advice changed how I view money. It taught me discipline, but also gave me something even more powerful: control. It was the first time I felt like I was making money work for me, instead of constantly chasing after it.
Now, ten years later, I still live by that rule. My savings goals are bigger, and the numbers have changed, but the mindset hasn’t. I’ve passed it on to my kids, too.
Sometimes the simplest advice ends up being the most life-changing.
#Finance #MakeMoney #FinancialAdvice
