Five things to do during your 20sApril 11, 2017

You promise your 20s to be the time of your life, but it's also important to set up basics. It will ensure a brighter future, not to mention avoiding a miserable 30s. Pay attention to the following:

You must finish your studies or training. It will be better if you enter the workforce at an earlier age, where you'll learn to set saving goals. If you opt to cure your wanderlust, then do it. Travelling has many options, which you can choose (and do) while you're younger and stronger. If you're not an overprivileged kid, then the world would still go round. You can explore the Outback. You can do better by looking for organisations that offer volunteering opportunities. It will be the right step, if not a valuable addition to your CV. What if you decide to travel later? Get a degree. Attend training courses. New skills will be useful sooner or later.

You must take care of yourself. This is the period of your life where you'll enjoy yourself to the fullest. And you better make the most out of it. Friendship makes a happy place, so don't ever take your mates for granted. There are a few rules to keep it alive and going. (Don't make a big deal out of trivial things, which can ruin a friendship. Don't expect much. And always keep an open mind and heart.) You should maintain an active lifestyle which means having the time for exercising. It's easier said than done, and you think that you have bounds of energy after a stressful week. You couldn't be wrong about it, but think of it as investing on a fitter, happier future.

You must be realistic about your goals. If you want to save at an early age, then you might consider living with your parents for a while. Your friends opt to live on their own, which will make you green with envy. Think again. You must be aware of the gradual rise of cost of things, which leads to the issue of buying a car right away. Your folks will tell you that it will be costly to maintain one, so you might stick to public transportation for now. Set aside a fraction of your salary while you do your best to keep a frugal existence. It doesn't seem easy to do it at a younger age, but take it step by step.

Avoid peer pressure at all cost. Your mate is showing off a new gadget after getting his pay. You can only wish that you could wear your girlfriend's eye-catching bracelet. (And you suspect that it ain't cheap.) You're past the stage of peer pressure, so you're only competing with yourself. Before you succumb to the temptation of buying a new thing, think if you can pay it with cash. Credit card(s) must be used during emergency. It's never cool to have credit card debt. Last but not the least, resist bargains if you don't really need something.

Study financial literacy. This is probably the biggest problem among twentysomething professionals. You must be able to control your finances, but it will be impossible if you don't know how to do it. Familiarising with the jargon will be the first step. Don't be afraid to ask someone at the bank (and explain it to you.). Professional guidance is highly recommended.

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