Getting in to investing can be challenging at first, especially if you do have a little extra money, but not enough to hire a stock broker or a financial advisor. Many people will tell you that you DO need to have tens of thousands of extra dollars sitting around to start, but that couldn’t be further from the truth. In fact, it’s actually better to start small as you are learning. That way, if you truly make a mistake, the loss is small. It can be hard knowing where to start, and many websites just make it more confusing. That’s why I love this simple guide by Stacy at Six Dollar Family. Here’s her tips on how to get started on investing your money:
-Participate in your company’s 401K or IRA- if you’re not already doing this, you may be missing out on large contributions from your employer
-Invest your money into a Money Market account, which is basically a higher interest savings account
-Use an app to start learning how to invest small amounts in the stock market, like Acorns, Robinhood, or Stash.
One of my friends is $25,000 in debt from student loans. He has a high paying job, but still lives at home so he can aggressively pay them off (I think he started at about 80k). I have another friend who is now an engineer, but is still living in an apartment with a roommate and carefully budgeting his groceries, since he’s about 90k in student loan debt. Now, I know these are some pretty extreme examples, but almost everyone I know has some form of student loan debt (usually between 10 and 25k). And people wonder why millennials aren’t buying homes.
Almost all Americans have debt in some form or another, and that can sound scary. Student loans, mortgages, cash advances, car payments, credit cards- it always seems like your money actually belongs to someone else. But, it’s important to not let it get you down, and to tackle your debt and make it more manageable. For instance, some debt is actually okay to have. There is “good” debt, which is incurred when you are making an investment for the future (your college education, your home that will appreciate in value), and “bad” debt, which you accrue when you buy things you can’t afford. For more information, check out this post by 
Most of us in this age have never haggled once in our lives. I’ve only done it once at a yard sale, and one other time at a flea market. Prices these days just simply aren’t negotiable. You go to the store, buy your items, and pay the cashier; if you tried to haggle with her, she’d look at you like you were crazy. However, there are still plenty of costs these days that ARE negotiable- people just don’t know about them. For a list of things to never pay full price for, read this article by 
One of the first things you learn when you move out on your own is how ~expensive~ food can be. If you’re used to dining out a few times a week, and always buying brand name groceries, that first grocery receipt can be quite a shock. Of course, you can always save money by buying cheap staple foods (like rice, pasta, chicken broth, and beans) in bulk, using coupons, and buying store brand. I only have one exception- I only buy brand name American cheese (not store brand “cheese product”), and brand name ravioli- only because of bad experiences I’ve had, haha. That being said, if you are trying to cut back on your food budget a bit, read this post by 
My best friend is getting married this October, and I’m her Maid of Honor. We’ve been planning and budgeting for the last six months, and found a (relatively) cheap venue for both the wedding and reception. For the entire weekend, it was about $1800, including tables, chairs, and decorations. Her entire wedding will cost her less than $5,000. In any other situation, $5,000 is a LOT of money– that’s a few months of a mortgage, an entire used car, an amazing vacation, or a small down payment on a home. But, in wedding terms, it’s not actually that much. The average cost of an American wedding is about $20,000. $20,000! That’s more than some people make in an entire year!
Living paycheck to paycheck is extremely stressful. What if your expenses outweigh your income? What if your check is late? What if your hours are cut? There are so many unknowns you juggle, and that amount of stress can be crushing. Plus, you can end up “up a creek without a paddle” if a vehicular or medical emergency occurs. So, stop doing it! Sure, it’s easier to say than it is to do, but there is a way to get out of the constant struggle. This article by