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If you’re 21 years old, fresh off the air with a college degree and ambitions to get your life going, you might want to turn to strangers online for advice. We’re kidding, kind of – but you can consult Reddit for any pointers you want if you’re eager University graduate recently in a thread that proves flossing is just as important as opening a Roth IRA.
The thread posted by you / brielleee99She asks about “Life Hacks,” but what she’s really looking for are some basic financial planning advice that Redditors are happy to offer. She says she and her boyfriend are trying to look beyond the kind of “rise and grind,” a hustle and bustle culture joke someone in her position might find while exploring the weighty question of how to get ahead.
She writes:
As the title suggests, I am 21 (f) and looking for “hacks” that I can implement into my life now so that I am prepared for the future. I work full time in the healthcare industry as an entry level data analyst (literally just graduated in April) and so far I’ve only read “grind / work” like crazy, but I want to know more. Shares, investments, other forms of passive income, certain types of savings (RSP, TFSA, etc.). My friend and I are interested in real estate that we can do in the future as we have heard it can be very successful. We are still learning, however, so I would love to hear any advice from anyone. Many Thanks!
Redditors stormed in with some excellent cores of wisdom that are worth your time if you are in their shoes too.
How to assess whether something really needs to be bought
Compensation U / Tveta offered a thoughtful exercise that can help you avoid costly and unnecessary purchases.
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They write:
For anything you want to buy. Imagine if you were still buying it if it was 5x more expensive. Because that’s how much it will ultimately cost you if you don’t invest that dollar.
Focus on today so you can enjoy tomorrow
Don’t get too carried away with your pursuit of building for the future – and you can do so by focusing on the little things in the present. That’s basically what u / MamaSheeba tries to mediate.
Don’t focus so much on the future that you don’t enjoy today. I don’t mean to spend like there’s no tomorrow, but to enjoy what you don’t have, what you don’t have!
Eat healthy, exercise, and avoid avoidable stress
This is more of a holistic approach, but feeding your mind and body what it needs to meet the demands of life is a pretty good thing for a young person to get used to.
the compensation you / I always take crap wrote:
Avoid avoidable stress.
Pick up a form of movement that is gentle on the joints and do it regularly, no matter what.
Eat fresh, whole / real foods.
Have a consistent sleep routine where you get enough sleep to keep you feeling refreshed in the morning.
Avoid avoidable stress.
Use your vacation time
This is a simple pearl, but an important one: don’t waste your free time impressing a boss or advancing your career. As u / alfith wrote: “Take all your vacation days and don’t feel bad about it.”
This is important! There is no point in ignoring the time you are legally required to spend outside of work and feeling guilty is doing yourself a disservice. Your career is a marathon, not a sprint, and you will need the mental energy in the long run.
Play the long game of investing
Don’t be caught thinking that you are a wise investor who has a knack for predicting the rise of unicorns, because you likely never will be that person. Instead, set up a Roth IRA and contribute as much as you can, and play the long game by investing in low-risk mutual funds from now until you retire.
That’s what u / Embarrassed-Cap-6825 conveyed in their entry:
Maximize your Roth IRA this year and every year …. just buy the s & p 500 index and don’t touch it until you are 60. Because of the magic of compound interest, it should be worth more than your lifetime income. The key is that you can’t touch it because then you fvck [sic] by panicking during the recession about starting a sale or paying the down payment on a home you cannot afford, etc.
Brush and floss your teeth daily
U / Sandome got the most upvotes for distilling what is probably the simplest piece of advice: “Actually, brush your teeth and floss.”
This is important not only for dental hygiene and the health of your oral bones, but also as a metaphor for the future of your life. Don’t lose sight of the little things and don’t use ambition as a substitute for self-care. For what it’s worth you / brielleee99She replied that she flossed and brushed “2x a day!” This is a good sign that she is on the right track.
