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What’s your blood pressure?

It’s the first day of the rest of your life and it starts today

Save your money, learn how to use credit cards smartly. If you can’t buy it twice you shouldn’t buy it once.

Regarding credit cards, you need to build credit to make your life easier or everything will cost more for you. That means you need a car loan, and a credit card. Start with a secured card and then move to a simple cash back card for gas and groceries. My credit card has paid me back like $500 over the last 3 years and I’ve never paid a cent in interest. When it comes time to buy a car or a house, or secure your own apartment it will make a huge difference.

Unrelated to finances, it’s ok to say no to friends, it’s okay to enjoy things on your own. It’s okay to be alone. Call your mom.

Read Atomic Habits by James Clear

Well, I know it’s flowing, and that my arse is bloody terrified

Don’t get advice only from the internet. Ask the same thing of real people you know and respect IRL.

Save your money and don’t drop off the face of the earth from friends/family/society.

In 366 days you will no longer be a teenager, so look forward to your 20s with lots of enthusiasm.

so long as you pay off the credit card each statement, you get 1-3% discount on things you buy.

I like the 'somethings' typo cause it's wrong but still works here. So I guess that, you should know that

Ah shite, well, it adds character lol

Never buy a brand new car. It won’t make you or your life better; it’s just transportation.

Exercise now and for the rest of your life. You don’t have to work out like your are competing for Mr Universe or an Olympic event. Just get some exercise in. The phrase ‘exercise is for life’ has several meanings.

Only floss the ones you want to keep.

Wear ear plugs EVERY SINGLE TIME that you operate loud machinery: lawn mower, snow blower, circular saw, etc. Damaging noise doesn’t hurt, but once hearing is gone it’s gone for life.

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Don’t be an ass fruit. Everyone is struggling with something that you know nothing about. Be nice.

The world does not revolve around you. Success is what you believe it is, not what others want you to believe it is. Don’t listen to the negativity, if you want something, work hard for it. If it doesn’t work out don’t stress, nothing in life is certain. Also wear sunscreen.

Take real good care of your teeth. Floss every single night and brush twice a day. It will save you problems in the future.

Whoever said ‘money can’t buy happiness’ was completely full of shit. AND education equals money. Learn something that will make you money. Getting a degree in French Literature will not make it.

Why is it terrified?

I have relegated all my fear there

Find a mentor, an older work friend, an uncle, just someone you can ask advice from. I’m 28 and I love sharing practice life wisdom with guys in their late teens and early 20’s.

Also, pay yourself first. Open up a saving account if you don’t have one already and deposit 10% of your paycheck in it each day you get paid. You’ll learn to live under budget and have a good emergency fund after a few months. My wife and I have been doing this for years. Both of us make humble livings but we see ourselves in a better financial situation than a lot of our peers.

That the world owe amd people in it, owe you jack shit. Be humble.

How to put a condom on.

Apparently it isn't as common knowledge as I thought. I gave a finger condom to a 20yo coworker to put over a bandaid. He unravelled it and tried slipping it over the bandaid lol. I was shocked. I explained and showed "pinch the tip, roll to the base". Now he's gonna think of me every time he puts a condom on lol I don't get paid enough for this shit lol but it's the best financial advice I can give.

Start investing in growth mutual funds.

100 percent this...

1. Take advantage of any company investment matching you can as early as possible. This will help grow your money faster than you can imagine. It’s my biggest regret for the last 20 years. I literally left thousands of dollars on the table.

2. Save your money. Only take on debt if it will get you an asset that will grow (an education with a solid career path, a house.)

3. Build good habits. It’s so much easier than trying to break a bad one. Eat right. Exercise. Take care of your teeth and your knees.

4. Wear sunscreen.

5. Experiences are SO much better than stuff. Travel. See a play. The brands you buy won’t make you a more interesting person. The cool stuff you’ve done will.

6. Acknowledge your privileges and use them to give back to people who are not so fortunate.

And, most importantly, Don’t be a D*ck. Be as good and kind a person as you can be.

If you are 1) American and 2) male: you need to register for selective service.

2. your credit is to be protected at all times: know what your score is, what’s hurting you and what helps. Never pay for your credit report or a program to help you monitor it-it’s yours for free.

3. understand taxes and insurance. Study them, become a home-grown expert.

If you ever go through a party phase - be smart, healthy and keep safe limits. I went crazy for too many years and drugs/alcohol became a hard habit to break.

Save your money - don’t consume. Don’t buy a new car or at least keep your car for 10 years (over the course of your life you can save $500,000, 1/2 a million dollars, on car costs and insurance). Don’t smoke, keep a healthy weight, do the things you love, and find a person who loves you for who you are (and you love for who they are).

This is not your final form. Continue to grow.

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Also hydrate, wear sunscreen, and avoid alcohol. It's one of the most dangerous drugs to withdraw from, and I've done it a few times.

Yes yes yes!! Even if you have dental insurance it covers barely anything. Buy yourself a good electric toothbrush and floss!! Dental work is painful, time consuming and very expensive.

At the end of every day write what your going to do tomorrow. At the start of each day actually take one step in the direction of those goals

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Maxing your IRA from 20-30 you will have the same amount of money at 65 as if you maxed your IRA from 30-65. It will just cost you significantly less.

If you absolutely do your best in life you will have little to regret. You can not do more then your best.

How much $100 will make you in 30 years if you invest it today.

Take advice with a grain of salt.

Things that work well for one person may not work the same for you.

FFS someone asks a tip for an age every day...boooo these posts. OP just READ one of the other advice posts.

Just because you love someone, doesn’t mean they are right for you.

You shouldn't trust random people on the internets for advice.

Start your IRA, or 401k early. Don't wait until your 40s. Life is short. Go out and find a job that you like. At your age you can try all sorts of different jobs and have nothing to lose. You won't really be able to do that once you have a wife and kids with a house to support.

Don't run out and get a bunch of credit cards to charge a bunch of stuff on it. My buddy in college took out an extra loan in college. He bought a TV and a bunch of other electronics. Between him and his wife they had over 30k in debt. The house that they fixed and flipped had all the profits go towards their debt.

Even if you don’t know exactly what to do or where to go in life it’s okay. Sometimes it doesn’t seem like you’re making the progress you want to make, but me being a 29y I look back with a little more realistic look and expectation of life and compare myself to when I was 19 and oh my am I proud of how far I have come. I am not where I thought I would be career wise, I do not own a home like I thought I would at this point or have kids yet, but looking back I am a much better and more enjoyable human to be around and I have many of the things my 19 year old self would’ve given anything for. Priorities change. Goals change. Be patient with yourself and your personal growth. As time goes on, and it doesn’t seem like you’re making noticeable growth day today day, just take a personal inventory and most likely if you put in the effort (whatever that looks like to you) one day you will look back and be able to clearly see how far you’ve come, and man that is an incredible feeling. Moral of the story.. change and growth take time so be patient with yourself, and don’t compare yourself and to others when judging your value and relevance as you’ll almost never find that helpful in seeing your worth. Everyone has their own problems and challenges. The grass isn’t always greener on the other side even if it appears that way. People are good at hiding what they feel when insecure about, so even the people who seem perfect or have the perfect life are probably trying to keep up with the perceived expectations of society. You don’t need that new car if you can’t comfortably afford it. Nobody really cares how you get from point A to point B. The assumption you’re going to be judged if you drive a 1999 “beater” car instead of a brand new 2023 Camero is all in your head. Judge yourself in comparison to yourself yesterday, a week ago, a year ago, a decade ago, etc. Youll appreciate the growth so much more, and that great feeling will build on itself and create confidence in yourself that you can more than handle what this life throws at you. People will give you “advice” on how not to make the same mistakes they did but to really want to make one choice over another you have to see the value in one choice over another for yourself. Everyone says always seem to say “don’t do it like me, I had to learn the hard way.” Depending on what the underlying lesson, and the consequences of one choice over another, sometimes it’s okay to learn the hard way because that lesson will resonate way more with you going forward.

Last little message to wrap it up.. take a personal inventory of yourself on your birthday today and as time goes on adjust your expectations of what you think life is supposed to be and how it’s supposed to go and you’ll be incredibly surprised on how proud you are of yourself days, weeks, and years from now as recognized personal growth no matter how small is the real reward that no amount of compassion to others can buy.

Best of luck to you in this life my friend. Everything will be okay even if it doesn’t end up exactly how you thought it would. That’s the game of life. Happy birthday to you. I hope you have a great 19th birthday.

I have an 825+ credit score because my mother and I went to get me a credit card when I turned 18. I only used it for ordering used college textbooks on Amazon. Then paid it off at the end of every month. It probably only had a $1,000 max at the start (they increased it as the years went by).

Still, when I bought my house 10 years later my credit was amazing. This only works if you pay it off every freaking month! You’re not treating it like credit. Not really. If you don’t have the money in your debit account to cover what you’re going to put on your cc you don’t buy it. Never.

Something i didn't know until I was 22; sipping on coffee, or energy drinks through out the day hurts the enamel on your teeth and leaves like a yellowing on the gums. The stains don't go away but you can repair the enamel i think. Flossing is also really easy to do and you should get in the habit as soon as you can.

Also.. Cavities are bad, but once the dentist fills them in that doesn't mean you can get an unlimited amount of cavities and keep filling them in. Each time you're susceptible to getting another one. Right now one of my fillings is continuing to have pain even after x rays and more than one dentist checking it.. they don't really know why. Don't be like me. My teeth aren't even that bad and i always brushed them growing but but I /needed to floss/ and get under the gums to prevent cavities... Which i do now almost every single day.

Celebrate! it will be so nice!