Savings strategies are pretty much the only thing standing between me and being 38 with nothing but credit card debt and vibes. I’m typing this right now from my second-hand couch in a townhouse outside Charlotte, North Carolina—rain’s coming down sideways, the dog is snoring like a chainsaw, and I just refreshed Fidelity and saw $221,000-something staring back at me. That number still feels fake. Like I hacked the matrix or something. But it’s mostly just me being boringly consistent with savings strategies for about seven years straight now, plus way too many iced coffees I should’ve skipped.
Back in like 2017–2018 I was living in a shitty one-bedroom in Orlando making $42k and somehow still negative net worth every month. I’d get paid, pay rent, then immediately buy $80 worth of craft beer “for the vibes” and DoorDash wings because cooking felt like defeat. My big financial flex was having enough left to put $20 on my 401(k). Embarrassing as hell looking back.
Then 2020 happened, I moved, got a better job (remote tech support → actual software-ish role), and something finally clicked: if I didn’t start treating money like it mattered, I’d be working forever.
The Savings Strategies That Actually Moved the Needle (not the Instagram ones)
I tried the super-strict envelope system once. Hated it. Felt like I was punishing myself. So I went with stuff that’s messy but sticks:
- Auto-transfer the second paycheck clears — 25% to investments, 10% to high-yield savings, before the money even lands in checking. I set it up in 2020 and literally never looked back. First few months sucked—had to eat a lot of frozen burritos—but I adapted.
- “Round-up” on steroids — Acorns was cute but too slow. I use a separate account now and round up every debit to the next $10, then sweep the change + an extra $50 every Friday. Adds up faster than you’d think.
- 401(k) max match + Roth IRA catch-up vibes — Company matches 5%. I do 10% + Roth because taxes scare me less when I’m young-ish.
- Side money that doesn’t destroy my soul — Sold old camera gear on eBay, did TaskRabbit furniture assembly (surprisingly lucrative in the suburbs), now I tutor Excel on weekends for $60/hr. Not sexy. Pays the extra $800–$1,200/mo though.
Compound Interest Is Boring and Also Magic
I put the numbers in one of those compound interest calculators at 2 a.m. last month when I couldn’t sleep because the neighbor’s leaf blower started at 7:03 a.m. on a Saturday (rude). $1,100/mo at 7.5% real return from now until 57 gets me to roughly $1.6–1.8 million. Not guaranteed, market could tank, whatever. But even if it’s “only” $1.1 million, that’s still life-changing for a guy who used to celebrate payday by buying two McDoubles instead of one.
Money Anxiety: Signs, Causes, How to Handle It
I straight-up wasted my 20s not getting this. Thought millionaires were either lucky or crooked. Turns out a lot of them are just people who didn’t spend every dollar the second it hit their account.
The Dumb Stuff I Still Do (Because Perfection Is a Myth)
- Still buy $6 cold brew like three times a week. I know.
- Ate out stupidly during 2023 when inflation was peaking—felt like “treating myself.” Cost me probably six grand over the year.
- Panic-bought $3k of individual stocks in early 2021 because Reddit said so. Down about 40% on most of them. Still holding because selling at a loss feels worse somehow.
Those screw-ups are expensive teachers, though.
If I Could Yell at 25-Year-Old Me
Just start. Doesn’t have to be pretty. Get $1k in a high-yield savings so you stop charging groceries when the car breaks. Then $3k. Then invest the rest. Savings strategies don’t need to be perfect—they just need to happen every damn month.
Dog just woke up and is staring at his food bowl like I personally betrayed him. Gotta go feed him before he starts dramatic sighing.
Try setting up one automatic transfer this week—even if it’s $50. It feels small until it isn’t.
What savings habit finally stuck for you? Tell me—I’m always stealing good ideas.
(If you want to nerd out more, these helped me a ton:
- Bogleheads forum wiki – https://www.bogleheads.org/wiki/Main_Page
- The “Shockingly Simple” article on Mr. Money Mustache – https://www.mrmoneymustache.com/2012/01/13/the-shockingly-simple-math-behind-early-retirement/
- Vanguard’s low-cost index fund page – https://investor.vanguard.com/investment-products/index-funds)
