How much are you willing to bet on your future? It’s not a hard question if you know what you want to do with your life and you have an idea of where you want to be in 10 years. It may be hard to get started, however.
To get to where you want to be and feel proud of your progress, spend money wisely when it comes to the following:
Home
No matter where you end up in the next decade, you will need a roof over your head. However, a home purchase is still something to think about carefully because it is meant to be your permanent dwelling. It makes sense to check out mortgage options in Utah if this is the state where you want to settle down, whether for a job or your personal life, but if you are thinking of moving to a new location in the near future, know how that affects your home.
It might mean asking the mortgage company for a different loan term, so you will be done paying the house before you go and you can rent it out to someone else in the meantime. Just don’t leave it hanging there with the mortgage unpaid, as that will mean repossession and your credit score being damaged.
Car
You’ve been hired for a job where everyone looks like they live well and are financially stable. You aspire to be like them, and you take the dress-for-success mantra a little too seriously to the point that you want to buy all the expensive items that will make you feel accepted.
That expensive car is a money pit, sadly. It may look good, and sure, it will earn you compliments, but those will not feed you when you’re having a had time stretching your budget just because you want to make payments on time. Cars also depreciate in value pretty quickly, so there’s no way you will earn more than you spent on buying them brand new. Long story short, if you’re not financially secure, choose a serviceable vehicle that may not earn you luxury points but at least it won’t bury you in debt.
Friends
This may seem like an unlikely third when the conversation is about spending money wisely, but the wrong company can be more expensive than being a shopaholic. There are holidays and birthdays to think about, and each of them will expect gifts. Friends will also want to hang out, which is fine if they like activities that are lowkey.
When you have friends who only like to be surrounded by luxury and you have to keep up with their lavish spending, that’s when it becomes a problem. So no, this does not mean you have to let go of every friend you have, but this means looking into the value they add to your life.
Every decision you make right now should be important in the future you want for yourself. Otherwise, they will only be a waste of time and money.