Void ab initio
JF-Expert Member
- Mar 1, 2015
- 5,720
- 5,659
Life Advice: What can people start doing now that will help them a lot in about five years?
1. Don't have that extra slice of pizza, you've had enough to eat already - you will regret it.
2. You don't need that new TV, and you certainly shouldn't put that on a store payment plan - by the time you've paid it off in 3 years you could have bought another television with the interest you paid out. Besides the TV you have right now is fine.
3. Do keep your living expenses low, like a business you want to have good cash flow and low operating costs. Ideally keep your expenses below 40% of income (after tax)
4. You don't need that new car - sure the sticker price says $19,997 on the windscreen but by the time the salesperson is done with you, somehow you are now paying $47, 897 @ 5.01 % interest over 8 years. Meanwhile your neighbor is selling a perfectly good 2006 Ford Escape for $3.5k AND it has winter tires on it - you idiot.
5. Live small - you don't need that 5 bedroom house with 3.5 bathrooms and a sunroom. You'll end up working yourself to death to pay for it, spending untold money to heat and cool the multitude of rooms you'll maybe spend 5% of your time in. Seriously when was the last time you just chilled in your front family room for more then 20 minutes.
6. Learn a new skill, it could be anything but start now and in 5 years you'll be pretty damned good at it.
7. Don't burn bridges, you never know when you'll need to use them to reach safety.
SPECIAL BONUS TIME:
8. Invest in a good mattress. You're going to spend close to 1/3 of your life sleeping - doesn't it make sense to get the best possible mattress? Some people will spend 2K on a nice looking bedroom furniture set and then cheap out on the mattress. This is insanity.
9. Stop it with the sugar. Seriously. I personally did an experiment were I didn't have any sugar (pop, excess fruits, sugar in coffee etc) for 40 days without changing anything else in my lifestyle. I lost 12 pounds in 40 days from just cutting out sugar.
NOTE: Diet pops or artificial sweeteners doesn't count - studies are creeping up that show that your body doesn't know the difference and still gives you insulin spikes.
1. Don't have that extra slice of pizza, you've had enough to eat already - you will regret it.
2. You don't need that new TV, and you certainly shouldn't put that on a store payment plan - by the time you've paid it off in 3 years you could have bought another television with the interest you paid out. Besides the TV you have right now is fine.
3. Do keep your living expenses low, like a business you want to have good cash flow and low operating costs. Ideally keep your expenses below 40% of income (after tax)
4. You don't need that new car - sure the sticker price says $19,997 on the windscreen but by the time the salesperson is done with you, somehow you are now paying $47, 897 @ 5.01 % interest over 8 years. Meanwhile your neighbor is selling a perfectly good 2006 Ford Escape for $3.5k AND it has winter tires on it - you idiot.
5. Live small - you don't need that 5 bedroom house with 3.5 bathrooms and a sunroom. You'll end up working yourself to death to pay for it, spending untold money to heat and cool the multitude of rooms you'll maybe spend 5% of your time in. Seriously when was the last time you just chilled in your front family room for more then 20 minutes.
6. Learn a new skill, it could be anything but start now and in 5 years you'll be pretty damned good at it.
7. Don't burn bridges, you never know when you'll need to use them to reach safety.
SPECIAL BONUS TIME:
8. Invest in a good mattress. You're going to spend close to 1/3 of your life sleeping - doesn't it make sense to get the best possible mattress? Some people will spend 2K on a nice looking bedroom furniture set and then cheap out on the mattress. This is insanity.
9. Stop it with the sugar. Seriously. I personally did an experiment were I didn't have any sugar (pop, excess fruits, sugar in coffee etc) for 40 days without changing anything else in my lifestyle. I lost 12 pounds in 40 days from just cutting out sugar.
NOTE: Diet pops or artificial sweeteners doesn't count - studies are creeping up that show that your body doesn't know the difference and still gives you insulin spikes.