I didn’t take finances seriously until the last quarter of 2025.
To grow your money, you need to learn how to budget, discipline, and research.
I grew my money by following what others were doing with due diligence.
Forget crypto and day trading. Been there, done that. It works for few, but not many.
Diversify your portfolio by investing in ETFs, not individual stocks. Reinvest your dividends. Live below your means or at least save more than you spend. Pay your debts off first. Schedule reoccurring deposits (basically “set and forget” it).
I still live at home and don’t pay rent. I grew my emergency fund while working a 9-5 and scheduled a percentage of my paycheques for bills and essential expenses, like hydro, internet, gas, etc.
I also scheduled certain days or weekends for fun, like hobbies and friends. I thought twice about purchases. I’d celebrate accomplishments by buying a sweet treat or few but having a fixed amount to spend that day.
I rarely use my debit card. I always use my credit cards (I have two). I only use the atm to deposit cash. I still keep a few physical bills on me, just to be safe.
This isn’t coming from someone who was born into a wealthy family, just someone who likes nice things and wants to live comfortably. I’m doing this now so that my future self doesn’t have to worry about a thing.
I hate math and I’m not great at it, but I love wealth management. While I have a portfolio with my bank, I also grew my one of my [self managed + funded] portfolios from $500 to ~$8000 in the span of 8 months, without any help.
Consistency pays off!
