UGH. But seriously, these are things you really need to know.
Actually make a budget. No, seriously, make a budget.
Before you can do anything — make investments, save for retirement, save for a vacation — you have to know how much you spend. You can do this the hard way, or you can use Mint. Its basic budget- and spending-tracking tools are free. The trick here is to figure out how much you spend in a typical month and then figure out how much you have to save.
Source: gimmesomejimmy.tumblr.com
Prune your subscriptions.
Look at your subscriptions. Are you actually going to the gym that much? Do you really need Hulu Plus, Amazon Prime, and Netflix? And cable TV? Subscriptions work by masking their true annual (and longer) cost, so be sure you're only subscribing to stuff you really want or need.
Source: seinfeldlessons.tumblr.com
Save. Duh.
This is the annoying part. You have student loans. Your paycheck is way smaller than you expected. (Taxes!) But it's really important: Even if you lose your job, you still have to pay rent and eat. So put aside some portion of your paycheck… Every. Single. Time. Ideally, you want to build up your savings so that you have enough to cover six months worth of expenses. Also, as your income increases, try to increase the amount you save.
Source: grabbingsand.tumblr.com
Even though you're young, save for retirement, preferably in a 401(k).
Now this is more annoying than just setting aside part of your income for an emergency. You're saving for something that's not going to happen in, hopefully, a very long time. But the benefits to starting early are huge. If your employer offers a 401(k) plan, contribute as much as you possibly can, especially if there's an employer match, which is one of the best deals you can get. Also, if you can, start saving and investing early. Eventually you want to be contributing around 15% or 20% of your income to retirement savings.
Source: Tumblr.com
