When I graduated college, my dad told me exactly what to do with every paycheck. More than a decade later, I'm still doing it.

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• My father always told me that it's better to save $5 than nothing at all — some savings is better than none.
• My father also made sure I understood that the first priority is paying off bills immediately.
• I get the most out of a Costco membership so I never feel like I have to eat out.

When I graduated from school and started working my first job, my father called. We were on the phone for two hours that night discussing money — specifically, how I should handle my money so that I wasn't without resources when I needed them.

My father's view was always that I take care of home first. He told me, "If you're working, there are steps you should take so you are always comfortable." When he said comfortable, he meant that I was secure. "Always take care of home first and then work outward from there," he said.

When student loan payments resumed in 2023, many people feared they would have to choose between their student loan payments and groceries — or even rent. When I was paying my student loans back, there were times when I didn't go out or didn't buy something I may have wanted right then, and I was known to say, "I can always go home." I think like that to this day, even when I have the money.

Here is the advice my father gave me.

1. Save as much money as you can

I save money now automatically, so it's in my savings account before I even see it. My father always told me that it's better to save $5 than nothing at all. I can't tell you how many times having money saved helped me out when emergencies came up — whether it was replacing a washer/dryer in my new home or arriving very late in Paris and learning the room I had reserved was no longer available, and the only one left was $175 more per night.

What my father was trying to tell me, and what I saw for myself, was that having money gives you options and can be a safety net for when things don't go as planned.

No matter what is happening, I always save a portion of my income.

2. Pay all of my household bills first, including that cellphone bill

Sometimes we have to learn these money lessons the hard way. I can tell you that I have had friends who have had their electricity turned off — and even a friend who had her water shut off after not paying the bill for six months in her brand-new home.

My father was and is a great example of how to run a home. When the first of the month came around, he paid every bill that was due. Since this was before you could pay all of your bills online, there were times when I went with him to pay the bills that he did not mail.

So when I started working and had my first apartment, he told me, "When you get paid, every bill associated with your home should be paid. That is the first thing you do." And that is what I do to this day. I pay every bill in my home first: rent, cable, electricity, water, and my cellphone bill. Our cellphones are such a big part of our lives, and you may even use your cellphone for work. Make sure that everything you need for your home to run well is taken care of.

3. Stock your refrigerator

When you first start earning money, it's so easy to go out, to buy that piece of clothing, or to meet friends for drinks. But it doesn't make any sense to spend $100 on drinks with friends when you don't have groceries in the fridge. Since I can be a homebody, especially during the winter months, this piece of advice is easy for me to follow, but look at the common sense aspect of it.

When I hear people say that they are eating beans and rice or ramen noodles and they cannot afford anything else, I always wonder about the money they spent that day. Did you buy coffee, have lunch out, or buy clothing?

When I stock my fridge, that is exactly what I do. I can easily have five weeks of groceries in my apartment. Then when I do need to go to the grocery store, it's only for something I have run out of. I'm not starting fresh at the grocery store every week. I also have a Costco membership and buy items I know I use all the time in bulk.

My home is my sanctuary, and I can spend time there without spending more money. I have books and magazines that I like to read, I have every snack that I like to eat, and I subscribe to Netflix and Apple TV+. Since I have poured into my home upfront, if I decide not to go out, I don't feel like I am missing out on anything, and I save so much money.

It comes down to paying yourself first. Instead of giving yourself what's left, take the first slice and set yourself up for financial stability.