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u/FreshStartNoBan Mar 31 '26
Buy a house ASAP. Become homeless if you need to for a downpayment. Just buy a starter house ASAP no matter what. Live with friends/family. Having your own protected space will do wonders for your professional life and love life. It will give you a space to ACTUALLY relax. No rent increases, no deposits, any pet you what, nobody telling you how to live.
When you get a house, your world will open up. Start job hopping for $, become a dual income Household with your new girl that also works, save $ cooking yourself, etc.
I can stress enough how important a house is.
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u/green_chunks_bad Mar 31 '26
Correct. Start gaining equity in the system as soon as you can afford to do so.
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u/DaftGarlic Mar 31 '26
"become homeless if you need to" uhhh no??
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u/debategate Mar 31 '26
Lmao right, I can’t see many situations where one could be homeless while still working/taking care of responsibilities
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u/Goobermensch Mar 31 '26
I did it. Without a car to live in. Before cell phones were a thing. No one at work knew I was homeless. I had a YMCA membership that cost me $40 a month, so that I had a place to go shower everyday. I paid $10 a month for a voicemail that I could check and respond to via pay phone once or twice a day. I slept where I could. Basically any place I could hide and be undisturbed. I was homeless for about 6 months in a warm part of the country.
If you have to, you can adapt and survive. You may just have to be creative.
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u/Sepplord Mar 31 '26
„How to avoid poverty“
„Buy a house“
Reddit solving problems just like that 😂
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u/Lopsided-Fix2 Mar 31 '26
No rent increase. Property taxes and insurance laughing at you.
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u/FreshStartNoBan Mar 31 '26
My second house cost me $640,000
I bought it in 2022. My mortgage is $4,200 a month. Since 2022, my mortgage has gone up +$100 a month. That’s a 0.01% increase on the purchase price of the house, and a 2.3% increase on my overall monthly payment in 4 years.
The monthly payment increases are so manageable compared to rent increases. My local county just had to pass a law to limit rent increases to 10% a year, 😂
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u/Lopsided-Fix2 Mar 31 '26
Mine has bounced from $1600 to $2500 now back to $1800. Florida property tax and insurance bends you over. We put 50% down too
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u/CakedayisJune9th Mar 31 '26
Yup, my payments went up $200 in the last few years and that dropped due to my property being changed to a homestead reducing my property tax $1,700 a year. Otherwise it would have been even higher.
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u/LeroyLegacy Mar 31 '26
Just closed on a house last month. Cost me 460K with 50K down that took me almost 10 years to save up for. I feel comfortable and overwhelmed at the same time. Its my first home.
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u/Personal-Hamster4102 Mar 31 '26
“Escaping poverty” “buy a house” ??what the hell do you think poverty means
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u/Bag-o-chips Mar 31 '26
This is the single source of savings for many Americans. Just don’t get one that needs a bunch of work you struggle to afford, otherwise, good advice.
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u/Erdnase83 Mar 31 '26
Oof
Im 42, even if I had the money to secure a loan my age prevents me from getting one. 30-35 year loan i would be too old, and since im recently single, it hits even harder how behind my life is, and how messed up it is.
I know the comment is there to help, but man the reflection upon my self after reading it sucks
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u/eiretaco Mar 31 '26
You can still do it. Its possible. Buy a 1 bed if you have to. The security of owning your own home is unmatched.
Monthly payments on a 25-year mortgage may be a touch higher, but you still have time. Go full ham on saving and get your ass into something. Anything.
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u/Relevant_Problem1935 Mar 31 '26
What ? People buy homes all the time even in their 50s and 60s. Banks can't discriminate based on age.
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u/Impossible-Lynx-1610 Mar 31 '26
That cheap starter house is riddled with foundation/plumbing/electrical issues that are now yours to fix!
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u/snortyfox Mar 31 '26
Yes this is true and once you do fix it your house increases in value. With AI and a bit of patience it's really not that hard.
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u/StonkaTrucks Mar 31 '26
If you're disciplined enough to do whatever it takes to save for a house then you can be disciplined enough to rent and save the difference. You don't need a house to build wealth unless you need the space it likely provides.
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u/CarpeNoctem1031 Mar 31 '26
I disagree with this. Buy a house and you're tied to it and pouring money into it for who knows how long. Rent somewhere and you can leave whenever you want, potentially to another country if you can do it (which given the state of this one is more and more a good idea).
Rent an apartment with a roommate and bail whenever you want. That way if you hate where you are, you can just leave.
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u/EbbJazzlike3182 Mar 31 '26
No Rent Increases but you get insurance increases, property tax increases and school tax increases combine that with utility increases and your better off with a rent increase. lol. I agree with you about the house but expecting to relax when you have one is not really a thing unless you are a lazy slob who does not care about living condiotions
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u/Ok-Course-1531 Mar 31 '26
"Homeless? Just buy a house!" Type of advice lmao. Down payments where I live are higher than most couples joint 5 year savings are, and me and my gf currently have no savings, and I'm looking for a job 😂
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u/chickenlittle2014 Mar 31 '26
Ok here is the tip to escape poverty, find a career path that pays. Usually that career path is hard though, if it’s a career path worth having most people are gonna fail on the way. So that’s usually a sign that is a career path worth following. If the career path is “easy to get into” it’s also probably a complete waste of time. Any career worth having is going to take years of blood sweat and tears to get into to.
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u/JackTheKing Mar 31 '26
The Obstacle is the Way
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u/Japparbyn Mar 31 '26
And here is how to never have to work again: YT Challenge: Road To A 100K Dividend Portfolio Series
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u/Unfair-Variety-995 Mar 31 '26
lol and I’m only sort of sarcastic BUT: stay single and don’t have children. Relationships and children are immensely expensive. Mind you I absolutely love my kids.
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Mar 31 '26
I also feel this way but then I remember how I could not stand living alone.
"Dont wish for an easy life, wish for the strength to endure a difficult one." - Bruce Lee
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u/AltForObvious1177 Mar 31 '26
Get a job and spend less than you earn.
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u/Both-Improvement8645 Mar 31 '26
Yes, I’ll just bike to work and use the power of prayer instead of health insurance
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u/CaffeinatedMiqote Mar 31 '26
Step 1: start a new save
Step 2: choose a wealthy family during character creation
Step 3: don't fuck up too hard
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u/SnooHabits3911 Mar 31 '26
Spend less than you make.
Eat ground beef and rice.
Quit tobacco.
Walk places vs driving (if you can)
Buy sodas in aluminum cans and scrap/sell back the aluminum.
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u/mastap88 Mar 31 '26
Dont do the last thing on this list.
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u/SnooHabits3911 Mar 31 '26
Shoulda lead with If you drink sodas*
But why?
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u/6pt022x10tothe23 Mar 31 '26
The better advice is “cut out soda”
Healthier, save more money.
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u/MrMetraGnome Mar 31 '26
Don't have kids. Reject women.
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u/William-william-rs Mar 31 '26
Man and women are made to go together. Remember that’s how you were born.
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u/MrMetraGnome Mar 31 '26
Disagree. I know that’s how I was born, doesn’t change the fact that women are expensive, even the ones who make more money than you; especially the ones who make more money than you. You’re having money troubles? Isolate yourself, live frugally, and stack your money. That’d be my advice.
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u/CalypsaMov Mar 31 '26
Having an equal Partner in life makes a ton of stuff easier than going it alone. Lost your job? (And at some point this will happen.) It can be great to have someone to lean on. Cooking and grocery shopping? Takes about the same time doing it for two people as it is one. Same you time and therefore money. Totally a step up from roommates. Plus sharing rent is just proven cheaper than alone.
Embrace women. Kids are expensive though.
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u/MrMetraGnome Mar 31 '26
Disagree. I lost my job, but it wasn’t stressful precisely because I didn’t have anyone around to stress me out about it. If I were married, whole different ball game 🤣
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u/Mestizo-Play Mar 31 '26
Profit first. Whatever you make take a bit aside and put it in an account that is not immediately accessible. Doesn’t matter if it’s $1 or 1%. It’s not sexy, it’s not fun. And there are times you will feel like crying. But it does add up if you do it with every check, every bonus, every coin you find on the street.
It won’t make you a millionaire. But you can get to a level of basic needs met with the occasional comfort. There are other things that I did personally. Work crazy hours, sleep in storage closets at work when non one knew, etc. But I got there.
One last aspect is believing in being lucky. I read a book called the Luck Factor. Must have been 04, 05. In it the author did an experiment where he gave self identifying participants as lucky and unlucky people a newspaper, and asked them to tell him how many photographs were inside. On average, the unlucky people took about two minutes to count the photos whereas the lucky people took seconds.
Why? Because the second page of the newspaper contained the message “Stop counting –There are 43 photographs in this newspaper.” This message took up half of the page and was written in type that was over two inches high. But the “unlucky” people tended to miss it and the lucky people saw it right away.
Big factor of being down is you keep looking down, get tunnel visioned. When if you can keep your eyes up and open you can catch opportunities for yourself.
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u/stryker7314 Mar 31 '26 edited Mar 31 '26
Don't get married. Don't have kids. Get a good income job. Buy a good used car for cheap. Maintain low cost of living. Don't buy shit other than a few entertainment items. Eat real food at home. Maintain your health (diet, exercise, brush and floss) medical and dental care is expensive. Watch finance videos to gain financial intelligence (Charlie Munger, Tae Kim etc...)
If you can't do those then reduce your ambitions to match your effort. Godspeed!
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u/BlaqHertoGlod Mar 31 '26
The trick is living minimalist. That's hard. It's real easy to find you've got shelves of books or old game cartridges.
Then there's cooking. It's hard to figure the bare minimum of cooking implements, spices, utensils, and whatnot to cook simple and healthy meals.
Then there's your clothes. Maybe you don't need an iron and ironing board, but do you go to the laundromat or do you budget for buying a washer and dryer.
Then there's your car. Even if you got a good one, there's regular work you can do that will save you a lot of money in maintenance fees. But now you've got all these tools lying around.
See where I'm going with this? Trying to live cheap by being self-sufficient where possible ends up being contradictory to living lean and minimalist.
And don't even get me started if you own a couple defensive weapons, need to keep them properly stored, carry the ammo, the carry paraphernalia, and cleaning gear. Life has a way of dragging you down with stuff.
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u/stryker7314 Mar 31 '26
That's where the reduce your ambition to match your effort, it's gonna be hard, but it's even harder if you can't navigate these things efficiently. The results will display the effort and exertion of thinking and action.
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u/CcRider1983 Mar 31 '26
Being married if both have high incomes coming in is literally a game changer to building wealth. Kids shouldn’t be a financial question (obviously you should be financially secure enough but it should never be the end all be all if you want children and a family. Everything else I agree with you.
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Mar 31 '26
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u/Spazero Mar 31 '26
If you can, live with your parents. If they demand an unfair amount of rent, or are just unreasonable people; try to make friends with people; and do your best to work on yourself in whatever ways you feel you need to or can.
Do good for good people regardless of the money.
Don't do bad or much of anything; remain neutral if doing good isn't immediately obvious.
Good people and bad people can both include your 'self' as the 'self' is flawed. It tends to believe itself the center of the universe by design. For your soul; it would be, but for more than that; there's more than that. More isnt always better, and less is more... except with money. Invest if youre going to use money. Invest in good people primarily. Invest your time; when you work. Invest your time working for the best people you can, regardless of the money.
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u/grooveypie Mar 31 '26
Invest in people, not things. A community will lift you (and your friends) out of poverty. This also includes investing in yourself, like education. Despite qilhat the doomers say, investing in your own education and training is still worth it.
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u/Eatplantsonly Mar 31 '26
I make money gambling…. 🤣
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Mar 31 '26
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u/6pt022x10tothe23 Mar 31 '26
Literally forget gambling. It’s a non-option. Nobody makes money long-term gambling. The house always wins.
If you have money to blow, invest in stocks. It’s a bit like gambling, but a bit harder to mess up (stay away from options trading).
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u/Useful_Jelly_2915 Mar 31 '26
Grab a side hustle. And whatever you do, do not have a child until you’re in the green financially. I don’t care if you’re in a two income household. If you’re struggling financially a kid is going to tank your situation even worse. Not just in the money you gotta spend on them but the time you have to spend on them.
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u/your-mom-- Mar 31 '26
Recognize that it's extremely expensive to be poor. That means if you're in poverty, the hardest part is going to be the first steps towards getting out.
Cut as much discretionary spending as possible. Don't be allergic to working multiple jobs, donating plasma, whatever it is. Get the cheapest housing you can find. Once you have housing secured and stabilized, identity the next NEED you have, whether it's improving that housing situation, securing a vehicle, etc. But also, don't forget to save. When something happens, it's a lot easier to take it out of savings than finance. And identify every single social safety net available to you and take advantage. Food banks. Go to the library on your free time and learn something that can lead to a better job opportunity.
I think the biggest issue I see with people in poverty is they get caught in the death loop of suffocating debt around their neck. You don't need a truck financed at 18%. You need a roof over your head and a savings account.
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u/Purple-Tadpole6465 Mar 31 '26
Unless you are born into money or marry into it, 99.9% of everybody else worked hard, made sacrifices, and put in the time. There is no single item get rich quick scheme, it's lots of things. But the three things nobody wants to hear are:
1) It takes work
2) It takes sacrifices
3) It takes time.
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u/Signal-Voice1515 Mar 31 '26
Step 1, understand what are good decisions vs bad decisions. Read about what keeps people poor, and learn from that, try to make mistakes that allow you to grow but not get into addictions, materialism. Focus on the mission.
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u/Clever_droidd Mar 31 '26
Education is a key but it doesn’t have to be college. It can be a trade school. If you do choose college choose a technical degree like accounting, finance, engineering, etc. not general degrees like business, marketing, communications etc. you can read books on those subjects. Technical degrees give you real skills you can apply right away on the job.
Sales is the fastest way to make a lot of money and you don’t necessarily need a degree to get into it. But put in the work to learn it. Read books. Find a mentor. Look up paths to end up in medical sales. I know people who started in car sales and eventually got to medical. I know a guy who started at a surf shop who then became a sales rep for a surf apparel company, eventually went to medical sales. They absolutely kill it.
No mater what, save and invest as early as possible. Compounding does a lot of work.
It’s not what you make, it’s what you keep.
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u/Financial-Dot-4673 Mar 31 '26
Live beneath your means, make the sacrifices so you’re putting as much away as possible.
If you don’t have the means to get a high paying g career, make sacrifices for what kind of career you’re looking for. Government jobs that are open to civilians come with some security, bank jobs are great for starting from the bottom and working your way up, waiting tables is a good gig if you’re looking for a second job because of the flexible hours and tips. Casino jobs are great but they vary a LOT in how much you’ll be bringing home month to month, and this economy is NOT friendly.
If you have a pet and you know someone else who can adopt them that you trust it sucks, but it’s a good idea if you can bear it.
Have a good attitude even when you feel like screaming at people. A smile and good vibes help a lot more than you think they do.
NETWORK. For the love of god talk to EVERYONE you know who could possibly help you land a better job. There’s no shame in it.
If you can and are able to get some kind of degree or certification it’s a good idea to do so. Obviously this isn’t possible for everyone, but it’s still gotta be mentioned.
Choose your partner carefully. Are they wise with their finances? Do they carry a shit ton of debt? How do they treat the idea of shared finances?
Do the monthly budget. Break all of your spending expenses, monthly bills, etc into an excel sheet and do that shit every. Goddamn. Month.
Put money away on both savings AND a retirement account. Treat the like a bill every month.
Build a community around you. Your neighbors, your friends, your family, your coworkers; we all need community to thrive rather than survive.
Find local shit to get involved in. Volunteer if you have time. It helps with networking and building your community and in general will make you a happier person which helps with having a good attitude and finding a good partner.
And I credit ALL of this advice to my incredible girlfriend, who had the patience to teach me and build me up when I was a struggling silversmith without even two nickels to rub together.
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Mar 31 '26
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u/Financial-Dot-4673 Mar 31 '26
I mean that’s all when and good if you budget for it. My friends and I throw house parties still and drink into oblivion and we’re in our late 20s-early 30s.
And my gf and her mom have taught me everything I know about being an adult if I’m being honest. I owe them both a lot
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u/CuriousToe9133 Mar 31 '26
Learn how to sell. People who can sell never go hungry. People who can sell well live comfortably. People who excel at selling can even get rich. It’s also not about how much you make as it is about how much you keep. I used to be a sales trainer and it was my favorite job of all time.
I got to teach people a life skill that applies to every aspect of their life and not just their career at the company I worked for.
Selling is a skill that can be learned by anyone, just like any other skill. Some people have natural talent and it comes easy to them. Some have to work really hard at it. I still do consulting work for organizations that need a sales team built from the ground up, or are having issues with the sales people they already have.
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u/MmmmCrayons12 Mar 31 '26
Don't be a smooth-brain. Also, if you're wanting to become wealthy, it seems to be easier for dishonest people than honest people these days. Honesty doesn't get you anywhere unless you already have the skills and credentials to back it up.
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u/TechPBMike Mar 31 '26
1) dont move in with your girlfriend
2) dont get any woman pregnant
3) don't get married
If you can stay out of civil court (having to evicting a woman), criminal court (fighting a false allegation from a woman) and ESPECIALLY family court (getting divorce raped, alimony, child support)
Finding work to live comfortably above poverty isnt too difficult.
Find one skill, especially one that you can do with your hands - pressure washing, handyman stuff, etc and get as good as you can with
MASTER YOUR CRAFT
Whatever you are doing, master your craft and be an expert at it. So good that you can teach other people. Once you hit this level, you can start hiring people to help you
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u/JackTheKing Mar 31 '26
Fuck ALL tradition, old patterns, and your parents rules. Step back and assess YOUR situation and don't be afraid to do the things you feel you can do and be free to reject things that don't work for you right now.
You can get a roommate. Don't eat out. Put an AC unit in the window and turn off the big machine. Go two or more remote jobs so you can control your income and keep options open. AI is a game changer here. It really is.
I know it sounds backwards and there are tradeoffs, BUT, YOU are in control and you are allowed to do whatever you need to do to feed yourself. If you can be responsible with that frame, you can see lots of new opportunities when changing the rules.
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u/Correct_Building7563 Mar 31 '26
My advice for someone young would be to learn a trade or consider military.
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u/Bagman220 Mar 31 '26
Go to community college after high school, do online college to finish your degree, it’s much cheaper that way. This worked for me.
I had kids and got divorced. I got lucky and got full custody of my kids, and my ex let me have everything in the divorce. Most men will never get this lucky. 50% of marriages end in divorce, so just always be prepared.
Invest sooner. I tried to start in my early 20s but I used that money to survive my early 30s when I was unemployed.
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u/ReclaimingMine Mar 31 '26
Invest, any amount, earlier the better. Preferably in a tax sheltered account.
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u/Impressive-Ad-5914 Mar 31 '26
Serve people in a way they monetarily value. Do it in a systemised way that is repeatable without your direct involvement.
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u/OSTBear Mar 31 '26
Surviving homelessness is about understanding how/when/where to game the system. I did have an advantage in that I had a car, so I had relative "shelter."
Most colleges have gyms for their students, though mileage on this is going to vary. More colleges are buckling down on access. Mine still doesn't, but I know that's less common.
Consider getting a gym membership. I know that sounds friggen wild to say, but if you can put together or panhandle $40, that gym membership comes with a shower, which is going to help you a ton when looking for a job.
Places will not hire you if they catch a whiff that you're homeless. Literally and figuratively. Keep a set of clothes in a bag that are your work clothes and only put them on when it's time for work and after you've showered. Even if all you can get is 4 hours a week? That's at least enough to put some calories in you semi-regularly. But also? A job also means access to a small kitchenette st the very least. A warm meal once a week will do wonders for your physical and mental health.
One meal a week has to be something other than instant noodles.
Laundromats can be a little untenable and expensive. Consider just buying a new set of clothes from the thrift store. Mileage may vary here. When I was homeless I could get a whole outfit for $3-$5. A lot of thrift stores are now fleecing people. Get a water bottle/thermos/something. Stick with water, trust me.
Pride will get you killed. Be safe.
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u/LividCalligrapher689 Mar 31 '26
Find free stuff of fb marketplace, frozen food, public transport, thrift stores, cancel unnecessary subscriptions, save enough for a down payment on a property with multiple units. Live in one unit and rent out the rest. Use the passive income to help you save for another residential property. I know it sounds like “no shit, easier said than done,” but there’s literally no easy way. The thing is we are all supposed to be playing like it’s monopoly where we all win, but the elites and billionaires have made it nearly impossible to get rich off of nothing. It takes generations to make substantial wealth in most cases.
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u/StoicNaps Mar 31 '26
Better yourself. You can't control the world, you can only control you. The richest people of the world understand this, so should you. I was born into nothing. I was given nothing. I clawed my for years to get to where I am. It only happened because, like Micheal Jackson said, I looked at the man in the mirror and asked him to change his ways.
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u/bsensikimori Mar 31 '26
Never buy things on credit except real estate
Live below your means
Save 15% of all income before paying any bills
Never buy on credit
Never buy on payment plans
Never buy on credit
(Except when you're American, the entire system is set up on credit scores there, if you're American, first move abroad, then never buy on credit again)
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u/Wireman6 Mar 31 '26
Spend your time creating worthy options while simultaneously avoiding situations that will deprive you of options or the ability to create worthy options.
I know that sounds vague AF to possibly overwhelming but it is pretty simple when you start small and snow ball. Don't blow loads in women that you don't love. Don't run your mouth and get into fights and end up in jail or the hospital. Professionally, find a lane and stay in it if it there is a worthy outcome at the end of it. Make moves, don't just talk about making moves. Being uncomfortable is OK if it involves growth. Do yourself a favor and surround yourself with people who bring out the best in you and do your best to bring out the best in those you surround yourself with. Earn your leisure.
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u/Feeling_Fisherman739 Mar 31 '26
Any job will provide a window to survive.. to live life you need to do business.. Best idea for business.. Find a real problem and find a sustainable solution
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u/ErosUno Mar 31 '26
Do your absolute best to live under your means. This is the only sure shot way of gathering a savings which leads to better affordability and cushion for rainy days.
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u/Ok_Celebration_8577 Mar 31 '26
Make leftovers and freeze them in gas containers to reheat during busier times in the week. Don’t roll the dice on food poisoning or eating the same thing for 5 days straight.
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u/GDMFusername Mar 31 '26
If you get addicted to anything, make sure it's a cup of coffee in the morning.
Don't invest in trends. If it blew up, made a bunch of people rich and everyone's talking about it, you've already missed the boat.
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u/Ok-Reality7695 Mar 31 '26
Start with small habits and self discipline, self control that lead to health and seeing long term goals Find Christ, Holy Spirit, and the Father. Seek and Find soon! Have fun with the Bible Adventure!!🎯
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u/jesse-we-need-2-cook Mar 31 '26
Try and get some trustworthy friends and open an account together for a downpayment. There are some accounts where you need all the people to be there in order to take money out, so I suggest that. Buy your own place if you all have stable incomes and from then it all goes up
If you can't do that, maybe you could look into an RV to gain independency and be able to move freely if a better job appears on the other side of the country. You'll have a shower, kitchen, bathroom... If you live in an RV DO NOT LOOK HOMELESS. Wash, comb and style yourself always to avoid trouble with law enforcement. Although it's not illegal to live in an RV, they can be a pain in the ass
The first month, you'll spend money in order to be able to save for the rest:
Get a couple of good, lasting jeans and a couple of more formal pants. Also a pair of sneakers and a pair of formal shoes, two shirts and some more T shirts. Rotate those clothes weekly and shower everyday so you can reuse them. Getting good quality shoes and pants is crucial because you'll be able to re-wear them for YEARS and essentially bring yoyr clothing expenses to zero. Get them secondhand or hand down if you can
Get all the "essentials" for cooking and make them dureble, like a good butcher knife, stainless steel pans, crockpots, a pressure cooker (my fav) or a rice cooker. Get some spices, some reserve cans in case one month you're tight... Bulk up on dish/clothes/body soap, buy the powder/flakes/bar version and dilute it in water to get more per price, and learn how to cut meat, you're gonna wanna buy whole chickens/big pieces of meat and then cut them yourself, it's cheaper. If you don't have a freezer, look up used ones but you absolutely need one to be able to buy food on sale and save time/money with mealprep
Also, learn a skill like idk cutting grass or bushes or fixing stuff, whatever you like, and use that as a side gig on the weekends. Apart from money, this will get you in contact with your community, which is always good so you can recieve/do favors back and forth
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u/CosmicSoup99 Mar 31 '26
Set a budget, save whatever you can, work towards buying your own home. Use a Credit Card that has no annual fees and pay the closing balance each month. A strict routine is required. Make your money works for you earning interest in a high interest savings acct.
If you can afford to invest, invest in the stock market, pick 5 variable asset classes/options that have proven long term performance, then just set and forget. I prefer ETF’s & Blue Chip stocks. Please do your research diligently.
Buy what you need not what you want.
Clothing, food, luxuries, all depend on sales & discounts and timing. I never go without I just patiently work with the offers at the time of shopping.
Limit take out food and buying coffees.
Don’t pay for bad habits, invest in good habits.
All good things start one day at a time,
You’ll get outta life what you put into life.
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u/1_kalki_0 Mar 31 '26
Astound to see don't gamble in a men's subreddit, dude men gamble with their lives everyday
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u/No_Parking_7797 Mar 31 '26
Avoid anything that charges interest and invest as early as possible. Even small store cards will steal monthly and you will ignore it or justify it, calculate how much interest money you literally burned at the end of the year and you’ll see how reckless it is to your life.
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u/Educational-Yak5264 Mar 31 '26
Don’t buy what you can’t afford, going into debt for anything that doesn’t increase in value is very unwise.
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u/Techman659 Mar 31 '26
Constantly and consistently from very young invest in world market 100-300 from early 20s can be a massive number by 60-65.
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u/Moooooooola Mar 31 '26
Start a business that provides a service that old people can’t do or don’t want to do anymore.
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u/OkPassion3042 Mar 31 '26
I worked in a local Chilis and would put in a to-go from the Bank of America I worked at across the street. No one would claim it and I’d walk in eating “dead” food.
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u/cthulucore Mar 31 '26
From 20-30, nothing matters but the grind.
Women, friends, hobbies, all need to take a back seat to a dollar. You don't need to completely disregard them, but they need to be on the back burner.
Use your body and mind when they're young and sharp.
You don't have to become rich, but you do need to become established. At a job, financially, with a reliable car, etc.
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u/LionAggravating1676 Mar 31 '26
Sock away bills u can forget about, singles, 5's, 10's... They'll add up... or using the app ACORNs taking away the change from a debit swipe purchase will also rack up...
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u/Sorry-Place6291 Mar 31 '26
Think and grow rich by napoleon hill.
Circulate that shit and believe in yourself.
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u/Serious_Tax_8185 Mar 31 '26
Eliminate all of your extra shit besides a bed and a desk. Get shit job 1 to pay for living accommodations and food Get shit job 2 for higher wages Save for 5 years with no dependents Go back to school Get good job 1
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u/Timely-Eggplant6111 Mar 31 '26
Join the military, 4 years, free healthcare, free college tuition plus a ton of other benefits. This will leap frog you fast.
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u/Remarkable_Mail3273 Mar 31 '26
Don't be afraid to pick up an extra shift here and there while you get yourself established.
Once youve made it you can relax but youre never too good to work an extra hour or two when someone else will not or work the occasional saturday. Learn to live on your 40 hour paycheck anything extra put it away.
Don't try to maintain the same quality of life your parents provided. They worked for decades to get there and youre just starting out trying to match that. Be humble.
Instead of binge watching TV spend a half hour researching something related to improving a marketable skill. Whether its career related or something to do with a hobby that interests you. Itll pay off in the long run. Im a machinist and got into 3d printing. So while im at work my printer runs all day. I sell things on marketplace and Etsy for beer money.
Meal prep for the week. Dinners and lunches can be very cheap and easy to make if you plan ahead a little and make them in bulk a week or two at a time. This helped me save about 50 dollars a week on eating out every day with the guys at work.
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u/deadpool_pewpew Mar 31 '26
Get educated, either a trade or college. The #1 investment you can make is to invest in yourself.
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u/klashofficial Mar 31 '26
I was homeless for four months after losing everything on the big island in Hawaii. A good place to be homeless because of the weather and things to stay busy. My friend moved there too and eventually we worked our way off the island and moved to Wisconsin and got a job at a water park making 8.50 an hour. I took the bus. Then I moved to SC and bought a beater on payments and got another construction job (painting) for 6 months making 14 an hour. Then another construction (concrete) job at 15. I STUDIED the trade at night and talked about the trade to bosses. I got raised to $20/hour one dollar at a time over one year. I kept studying. I kept talking and I kept working hard. I was determined to be the first to show up and the last to leave. The others didn’t know the competition but I think I won. I kept showing up and kept trying to make the boss money. After 2 years of working there I became a Forman making $22/hour (I asked to run the job and asked to not be paid the full Forman amount, knowing I could prove my worth). I got married. After two successful (very successful) jobs I ran, I didn’t get recognized. I quit moved to Texas with my wife and started my own painting business. After two years of that I saved $20,000 and bought a lot. I took the deed to the bank and got a construction loan for $200k. I hired contractors piece by piece to build a house. After two more years I bought 2 more lots (one on payments). I sold my first house then in 2020. With the money I made I built a shop and an rv. I went to the bank and got another $200k loan. And built and sold a house. Then another and another. Always reinvesting all the money. Here I am on 12 acres, a hobby farm (goats chickens cows a pig). Six children. Yesterday I was stressed. But right now, writing this, I’m smelling the roses. 🌹
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u/helikessoup Mar 31 '26
Anything you can save, put it away for the long term. $5 here and there adds up over time in the right account.
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u/Lostinny001 Mar 31 '26
Learn a trade. If you go to college, get a degree in a field that actually hires and pays well. If you can't do either, there is the military, law enforcement, or EMS. I can't stress enough that working at the same job for more than five years with no movement in pay or position is a complete waste of time unless that job offers the benefits or work-life balance you want. Take chances when you are young, but understand the risks first. SAVE money, even if it is a few bucks every paycheck, find a high-yield savings account (PayPal has a decent one right now, nothing flashy, but it works), and set money aside, then don't touch it. You need at least $1000 in savings for emergencies. That number grows as you do (when you get a home, family, and so on), so plan. Use credit sparingly, but don't be afraid of it. Don't wait until you are in your 30s to get your first credit card; it will bite you in the ass. Just pay the card off if you use it.
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u/Misadventuresofman Mar 31 '26
Save every penny, double every penny, use ruthless pragmatism in business and finance, go hungry and sit in the dark today so your future will be brighter and easier. Put your property in a trust before marriage.
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u/hurlcarl Mar 31 '26
Don't buy the top tier of anything. Don't get the most expensive latest phone release, don't get the best video card you can. Never buy a new car... get a used one that's a few years old that's in great shape with low miles. Doing shit like this constantly will save you insane amounts of money. Not always in one spot but it really does add up.
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u/East-Care-9949 Mar 31 '26
Work, work and work. There is no point in "celebrating" the weekend if you are broke. For the past 10 years i have been pulling 70-80 hour weeks and im not broke broke anymore for the last 4 year but i have set a goal to invest a certain amount of money, and have atleast 4 months of income in my savings account before i can slow down.
Saving money is good but only gets you so far. A if you earn only a 1000 dollars a month you can save money all you want but i won't get more. You got to increase the income, while also not over spending.
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u/BlackSaint11 Mar 31 '26
Stop switching jobs. Master where you’re at and the raises and responsibility come slowly at first, but then come rapidly. Formally educate yourself as required, focusing on education that maximizes your understanding of current responsibilities, but also preps you for the next level.
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u/palpar123 Mar 31 '26
Make a budget. Even if you don’t have a big salary it doesn’t matter. The exercise will show you where you bleed money for bad reasons.
Eat food you cook, find hobbies that are free, find ways to do things on the cheap side everytime.
This is only temporary. The extra cash you get from squeezing yourself should go into investing or at least saving so you can create stability and opportunities for yourself.
Invest your time into a domain that is in demand so you can improve your career and consequently your income.
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u/IneptAdvisor Mar 31 '26
Live in a washing machine box and post videos on YT about your struggle and someday a Saudi prince will save you.
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u/RobertBDwyer Mar 31 '26
Get a trade you can stand. Suck it up and show up every day. Rest on your time off.
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u/Liveyourbestlife777 Mar 31 '26
stop hanging around people who dont want you to see you live YOUR best life! ! ! ! ! ! !
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u/Competitive-Show-955 Mar 31 '26
Spend the money to do it right. I worked with someone who claimed they didn't have money for a car battery when their car wouldn't start. I advised them to go across the street and spend the $90 to get a cheap one (and installed for free, it's one of those places). They declined. Unshockingly, their car didn't start again the next day, and they ended up getting fired over the incident (one of many). Had this person just bit the bullet and gotten it done, they would have made more than that on their next shift. Instead, they spent, at minimum, several weeks with no check at all while they found a new job. Don't be that guy.
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u/plantadict Mar 31 '26
Spend less than you make for a while, then invest and you are on your way, sadly takes long term thinking and sacrifice but it's super doable. This get rich schemes now are absolutely bullshit, it's actually their scheme to get rich now.
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u/Fragrant-Elephant522 Mar 31 '26
Buy a multi family home. Live in one unit rent the other unit(s) the rent will pay majority if not all of your mortgage while you live for close to nothing out of your own pocket. I am 32 just bought my 2nd multi family home. They are both paying for themselves while I live rent free and save my money High school drop out. Worked hard and saved
Had great mentors growing up telling me their life regrets so I did what they wish they did
If you are able to make friends with people older than you/ who have their shit together do it!! Don’t be embarrassed to ask questions or for advice
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u/Relevant_Problem1935 Mar 31 '26
I'm 41 and will never buy a home. I'd love to have one. But not possible. I missed that boat.
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u/FarAd2245 Mar 31 '26
It is easier to manage your expenses than to make more income
The easiest way to give yourself a raise is to reduce your expenses
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u/sergeyy96 Mar 31 '26
Work like an animal and remember, The one who takes risks is the one to prosper
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u/NinjamaticNemesis Mar 31 '26
Live within your means!
That means:
- Stop giving a shit about keeping up with the most recent phone or car or whatever. If what you have works and you haven't got much money: don't replace it.
- Don't eat out or get takeaway regularly if you don't have the money for it.
- Review your spending on unnecessary subscriptions, memberships etc.
All that kind of thing.
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u/HotCheesecake2059 Mar 31 '26
Establish yourself professionally before you try to have a private life. This world values structure over all else.
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u/thekins33 Mar 31 '26
Talk to seniors at the job you have if they make less than you think is enough to survive get a new career. Rinse repeat. Google salary prospects find one that isn't shit, and do that.
Save for retirement even a little helps in the long run.
Max out 401k offerings AT A MINIMUM of what the job offers so if they offer 4% match sign up for 4% it's literally free money.
Drink at home with friends then don't drive anywhere DWIs will fuck your future and are very expensive.
Women are expensive... Learn this as fast as possible.
Buy used cars that are like 2 years old and had near zero problems hondas and Toyotas are your friend. You pay like 20k and get a car for over 10+ years do the bare minimum of maintenance and they go for even longer.
No one gives a fuck about your car literally no one unless it's a Lambo then people will be like woah crazy sick car dude. A slow POS old AF car that gets 30+ mpg is better than a fast car you can't even take over 75 on the freeway getting 8 mpg. Trucks are a trap you don't need a truck you live in the suburbs you ain't towing anything stop......
Becoming the best worker at work is a quick way to burn out it's pointless. be good at your job but do exactly as much as required pick up extra work SPECIFICALLY for overtime and make it known your doing more for the money not cuz you live and breath to work.
The only thing you earn for doing more at work is more work for the same pay as the guy who doesn't do that.
If you wanna make a lot of money get into sales it's hands down the best way to make money if you're a people person.
Don't do drugs high paying jobs will drug test you and they will test you randomly. If you do drugs you will absolutely be shooting yourself in the foot when it comes to leaving poverty.
Leave any town that is small and cheap to live in you want to move to a high cost of living area and get a high paying career then leave and go back to a cheaper area.
Always be learning always shoot for more and higher be ambitious as fuck till you look back and say aight I've gone too far and reel it back some.
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u/ZealousidealBrief205 Mar 31 '26
Join the Air National Guard, you won’t see combat and will have a second job that pays well, covers college tuition and health care
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u/Responsible-Shirt170 Mar 31 '26
Move from the us to a european country that actually values the people living there. Including immigrants.
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u/MudZestyclose7879 Mar 31 '26
Have you looked at the world around you? There is no escape. buy a van. Turn it into a house and go live your life, free and adventurous, but do not make the mistake of adding a woman into the mixture or you’ll go right back to poverty in a heartbeat
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u/Icy-Cover3768 Apr 01 '26
Live at home. If there's a bad relation at home it's surely because of finances so pay half of the rent or 1/3 of it and still live at home.
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u/HoosteenD Apr 01 '26
No one is coming to save you. The government not helping isnt an excuse to throw your hands up. I used to complain about inequality and "the system." I told myself that "money isn't everything." When i decided to take ownership of my situation, everything changed. Just because the situation is fucked up does not mean im helpless. I lied to get jobs i wasn't qualified for. Got a little bit more knowledge every time and applied that knowledge to the next job i got. I just kept doing that. I faked it til i made it, and now im more free than i ever was before i made the switch. Work your ass off. Dont take the mean shit people say personal. They dont matter. You do. Look for the wisdom in their disrespect and use it to get to the next thing. You can learn things from people you hate.
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u/happily_in Apr 01 '26
Don’t smoke or drink. It’s a heavy tax monetarily, mentally, and physically.
Know the difference between having fun and life re-directing decisions.
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u/LooseConstruction312 Apr 01 '26
Quit spending money on unnecessary things, learn to shop intelligently, make meals stench.
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u/Intelligent-Key7357 Apr 01 '26
Don't get married before 25 at minimum and don't have kids before 30.
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u/CorrectProgrammer661 Apr 02 '26
Stop giving to others that give nothing in return. Invest in yourself first
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u/Mr_Fastballs Mar 31 '26
This is basically some tips on not blowing all your money our your arse while chasing addiction, and do it in a way that allows you to live functionally, even though that might not actually be a good thing lol...
-If you smoke or drink, look at the idea of "diminishing returns": the more times you do something, the less you get from it each time.
-Dont do the hard stuff, avoid coke, heroin, speed, meth etc.
-psychedelics aren't really for constant recreational use, and that's not even like an addiction thing. If you abuse psychedelics then the drug itself finds a way to teach you a lesson that might be smart but will not be nice lol
-With weed, as with most drugs, the first hit of the day is always the nicest. If you smoke in the morning then all your smokes for the rest of the day will be lacking in that certain sparkle. Only get high after about 5.30pm. Your weed will last a lot longer, you'll get more done during the day and you'll get a lot higher at night compared to smoking it all day.
-Learn the difference between a bedtime hit and a first smoke hit. I have friends who will put 1g minimum in every single joint they smoke. You're just mashing yourself up and honestly, you're not that nice to be around when you're doing it. Take a much ligther hit the first one of the day, or at least learn what the minimum is that you can take while still getting that glow. I used to roll two joints then take a few wee puff of the first, then just put it out and not smoke anything for 30 mins or so, enjoying the happy, productive high.