So, you’ve finally started making money! Congrats!!

Here’s a quick crash course in staying solvent and beating a system designed to separate you from your hard earned cash.

1. Funds first, fun second

Build up an emergency fund, no matter how small. At first it may feel like such a grind to build a “rainy day” fund. After all, it’s just cash chilling in a savings/ low risk investment account. But unexpected emergencies happen all the time & it sucks. It sucks less when you’re armed with cash on hand to deal with any curveballs.

2. Protect the downside

Insure your most valuable assets. Maybe your emergency fund cover a new phone screen but isn't enough for an entire new phone. That’s where insurance comes in clutch. It’s a small outflow in exchange for securing peace of mind. Start with essentials & work through them - medical cover, income protection, household insurance, etc.

Pro tip: always aim to negotiate and compare different insurance offers.

3. Live within your means

Aim to spend what you can afford. This is tough!! Everyone on the socials is constantly flexing designer while you're slowly stacking savings. Hologram poverty is going broke by chasing an illusion of a lifestyle that doesn’t exist. Comparing your life to social media will cripple your finances.

4. Qualifying is cheap. Affordability is expensive.

Make sure you can truly afford it. The moment you start earning, the calls start rolling in:

“We’d love to offer you a home loan, vehicle finance, a clothing account, a credit card, a fancy holiday to the Maldives.”

Everyone wants a piece of your payslip.

But the true cost of ownership goes far beyond monthly repayments:

House: bond, levies, insurance, maintenance, rates, water, taxes, interest rate hikes.
Car: fuel, tyres, servicing, insurance, license, parking, and the occasional speeding fine.

It’s not the loan that kills you — it’s everything that comes with it. Always run the numbers on the true cost of ownership, not just debt service costs.

5. Credit is a tool, not a crutch

Credit cards, clothing accounts, short term loans & payday loans can cause serious damage in your wealth journey. High interest debt drains cash before you realize what’s going on.

Draw up a personal balance sheet & figure out your personal leverage. Home loans, car repayments, gym fees, Netflix subs, Apple Music, DSTV— it all adds up fast.

Once a quarter, go through your bank statement line by line.
You’ll be shocked by how many “free trials” are still quietly billing you.

Cash is king.

6. Start investing early

Capital x Consistency x Returns = Serious Wealth

It's never too late to start investing. Early on you have the additional benefit of compounding over a much longer period of time. Any amount (no matter how small) snowballs into something much bigger.

Every investor has the same regret: “I wish I started sooner.”

Start small. Stay consistent.

Compound interest is a cheat code — but it only works if you start!

7.  Learn the art of the deal

Especially on big ticket items, the tiniest change in price makes a massive difference. On a house a small change to the interest rate, asking price & time frame can adjust your total paid by millions.

There's pockets of value to unlock everywhere you look. Your salary, interest rate, insurance premium - you just need to ask. Leave being shy at the door.

8. Secure that retirement bag

A terrifyingly high percentage of folks cannot actually afford to retire.

of Ask anyone in corporate:

“Blink once, it’s been five years. Blink twice, you’re middle management.”

If your worst nightmare is waking up in a cubicle at 55 — start planning your exit at 25. Don’t just earn money. Build a life you actually want to afford.

9. Experiences > things

You have options. Whether you wish to spend time on that overseas secondment, travel more, develop a new hobby or change careers. There really isn't a rush to buy things.

Invest in stuff that improves the quality of your life financially, physically & mentally.

10. Upskill

We're in a golden age of AI, crypto, digital media, vibe coding & biohacking. You can level up faster today than at any other point in history. All it takes a few hours of consistent effort every week. Skills compound the same way as investments. First its slow then its meteoric.

Finally, don't beat yourself up. Money mistakes are perfectly normal. Adulting is just one big process of figuring stuff out, learning & re-learning.

Here's to kickstarting an incredible wealth journey!