Okay, financial planning mistakes are literally haunting me right now while I’m sitting on my couch in sweatpants that have a mysterious ketchup stain from 2022, staring at the $4.63 in my checking account after Venmoing my roommate for electricity. Like, I’m 34, live in a one-bedroom in Austin that smells faintly of dog and regret, and only last week did I finally admit I’ve been screwing this up since Bush was president. The second one. Yeah.https://www.youneedabudget.com/
The First Financial Planning Mistake I Still Can’t Believe I Made Financial Planning Mistakes
Not having an emergency fund. Bro, I thought “emergency fund” was just something TikTok girlies said to sound responsible. Then my 2011 Honda decided its transmission wanted a divorce and I had to put $3,800 on a credit card with 24% interest. I literally sold my PS5 to GameStop for $280 and cried in the parking lot eating gas-station taquitos. Don’t be me.
Treating “Buy Now, Pay Later” Like Free Money (Spoiler: It’s Not) Financial Planning Mistakes
Klarna and Afterpay had me in a chokehold. I still wake up sweating remembering the $1,200 I owed for a couch I spilled red wine on the first week. My credit score looked like a sad little roller coaster. Pro tip from someone who learned the hard way: if you can’t pay for it with the money currently chilling in your account, you can’t afford it. Period.https://www.ally.com/bank/high-yield-savings-account/
Why I Finally Started Using YNAB and Stopped Lying to Myself Financial Planning Mistakes
You Need A Budget saved my life, no cap. I was the guy who’d check Mint and just close the app when it turned red. Now I name my dollars like they’re Pokémon and it weirdly works.
Ignoring Retirement Because “I’m Young” Financial Planning Mistakes
I turned 30 and realized my 401(k) had $4,200 in it. That’s not even a used car. Meanwhile my coworker Chad who’s 28 has like 60 grand because he started at 22. I hate Chad. Anyway, I finally upped my contribution to 15% and the match feels like free money I don’t deserve but I’ll take it.https://www.fidelity.com/learning-center/personal-finance/lifestyle-creep
Lifestyle Creep Is Real and It’s Been Living in My Head Rent-Free
Got a raise → immediately moved to a nicer apartment → started eating $18 salads → wondered why I was still broke. Rinse, repeat for five years. I only figured it out when I sat down with my bank statements and saw I spent $900 on Uber Eats in one month. Nine. Hundred. I wish I was exaggerating.https://www.fidelity.com/learning-center/personal-finance/lifestyle-creep
The One Chart That Made Me Want to Yeet Myself Into the Sun Financial Planning Mistakes
Not Talking About Money With My Partner (Until It Almost Ended Us)
We were together four years before I admitted I had credit-card debt. The fight was ugly, y’all. Now we have a joint “money date” every Sunday where we drink cheap wine and actually look at the numbers together. Turns out vulnerability is cheaper than divorce lawyers.
Look, I’m still a chaotic gremlin with money—yesterday I panic-bought a $70 houseplant because it “sparked joy”—but I’m finally making fewer financial planning mistakes than I did at 25. If someone as disastrously impulsive as me can start building a secure future, you definitely can.https://www.ramseysolutions.com/budgeting/how-to-budget
Start small. Open a high-yield savings account today (I use Ally, here’s the link: https://www.ally.com), throw in $20, and just… don’t touch it. Then text me in a year and tell me I was right. Or roast me if I’m still broke. Either way, let’s not eat ramen forever, cool?
What’s the dumbest financial planning mistake you’ve ever made? Drop it in the comments—I need to know I’m not the only clown in this circus. Financial Planning Mistakes
