This piece is part of my 2016–2026 archive migration. Some original formatting, content, and external links may be missing, changed, or not be optimized.
Six financial pieces of advice
When I started my first official full-time gig after graduating college, I had a few things to clean up:
Minor credit card debt.
No extensive emergency fund.
I wasn’t investing consistently or aggressively.
About $1,000 worth of payments was left on my car note.
Step 1: Pay Off My Car
The first thing I did after getting my first paycheck was pay off my car note.
Step 2: Pay Off My Credit Card Debt
The second thing I did was pay off my credit card debt and establish my emergency fund.
Step 3: Build Your 6-Month Emergency Fund
Sometimes the first job isn’t always what you expect.
You may not like working there, or they might not like you working there. If it’s not a mutual fit, it’s best to have a solid financial net to prevent you from having to experience anxiety.
Hence, I built a 6-month emergency fund instead of a 1–3 month emergency fund to establish a more robust financial foundation.
Step 4: Pick Investing Back Up
While I was building my emergency fund, I was also investing. However, it wasn’t until I completed the emergency fund that I picked back up investing aggressively.
To build wealth, you must complete the first three steps to reach the most critical step: investing.
Things To Continue Doing
Even though I had some financial cleanup to do, I was still doing a few things right, which included:
Living below my means.
Maintain multiple income streams.
1. I was living below my means.
Housing costs account for the most significant portion of our monthly expenses. You will save a fortune if you’re lucky enough to eliminate or mitigate this cost.
At the time of my first gig, I was only paying $300 monthly rent, which was quite the steal.
On top of that, I only had one spending category: food; if I spent money, it went here on the weekend. I wasn’t shopping or conducting much travel. And I wasn’t looking to buy a new car since I just paid off my current one.
My expenses were near zero.
If anything, I was trying to lower my expenses even more – even though I was earning more money than ever.
2. Maintain multiple income streams.
Relatively early in life, I mastered maintaining multiple income streams; this is one of the most essential money habits and financial basics you should implement at all costs.
Maintaining multiple income streams creates for you immunity against economic disturbances and inconveniences.
This content is for informational purposes only — not professional advice. Consult a qualified professional before making any major decisions.
This content is for informational purposes only — not professional advice. Consult a qualified professional before making any major decisions.