Invest
Cut the clutter
Invest smarter
Invest in retirement accounts with tax benefits
Retirement accounts like 401Ks and IRAs come with tax benefits so max them out first. In a traditional 401K or IRA, you contribute before tax and pay taxes when you withdraw funds after retirement. In a Roth 401K or IRA, you contribute after tax and don't pay taxes when you withdraw funds. There are annual limits to how much you can put in 401Ks and IRAs.
Most employers will match your retirement savings up to a set amount. Take advantage of this benefit to save for retirement.
Buy a home
Most Americans aspire to own a home. You can save for a down payment in a high yields savings account to maximize the interest you earn on your savings. Also, take advantage of government programs that let you put as little as 3-10% down to reduce how much you need to save.
Be careful when house shopping. Only buy a house you can afford even if you are approved for more than you expected. Remember that your total monthly cost includes your mortgage, property tax, HOA, utilities, and saving for home repairs. Give yourself wriggle room by buying the cheapest house that fits your needs.
Invest for the long term
When you take a long term view with your investments, you worry less about market fluctuations. Instead, you use time and compounding growth rates to supercharge your money.
You should only invest in assets after doing your research. If you are not sure what to invest in, start small and increase your investment as you learn more. Focus on one investment type at a time to make it easier to learn how to invest.
You can start with stable assets like US treasury bonds or with diversified assets like stock ETFs or mutual funds that track the whole US stock market. As you get better at investing, you can expand to other areas like real estate, art, private market investing and more.
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