3. Get in the Habit of Saving for Retirement
At this point in your life, retirement is far off, and your 401(k) probably isn’t the first place you want to put any extra hard-earned cash. But it can be important to start saving as early as you can: Even small amounts can make a big difference over time, thanks to the beauty of compound returns.
Start contributing a percentage of your paycheck that feels reasonable to you, and then plan to increase it by 1% every six months until you max out. And don’t forget to fully take advantage of an employer match if your company offers one—otherwise, you’re leaving free money on the table, and trust us, you’ll probably need it later.