28 things I wish I knew about money 28 years ago

Make any mistakes with your money or finances? If you are breathing air you likely have.

Here are the top things I wish someone taught me about money 28 years ago:

Hint: You don’t have to wait 28 years to learn this if you are in your teens or twenties, I am telling you now.

1. Avoid debt.
2. Do not use credit cards.
3. Save as much as you can for life’s emergencies.
4. Save for large purchases, like a car.
5. Save for future needs like retirement.
6. Do not look for fast easy money.
7. Give money to the poor and needy.
8. 10% minimum of everything you make goes to the Lords work.
9. Never go in debt for a car.
10. Operate 100% on a cash basis.
11. If you can’t pay cash for something, you can’t afford to buy it.
12. Never go in debt for college or to start a business.
13. Always shop around for the lowest prices before buying things. Be frugal or cheap.
14. Money is easy to spend but harder to make and save.
15. Money does not last for long. Use it wisely.
16. Live within your means. That is, spend less than you make.
17. Do not worship money but worship God.
18. If you do borrow money, borrow as little as possible and pay it back as quickly as possible.
19. Never buy a new car.
20. Avoid buying things at retail prices, buy used.
21. Don’t buy things to impress others.
22. It’s best to learn from the mistakes others.
23. Paying interest is never a good idea.
24. Just because you can afford the payment doesn’t mean you can afford the purchase or that it was a wise decision to buy it.
25. Having stuff wont’ make you happy.
26. We don’t own any of our stuff. God is the owner. We just get to borrow it for a brief time while we are here.
27. If you don’t borrow money you can’t get into debt.
28. If you don’t borrow more money, you can’t get further into debt.

Instead of a buy now pay later mindset, we should be thinking save now buy later (with cash).