Personal finance isn’t the most exciting topic.

But the sooner you get started, the better.

To afford your retirement, you need time for your money to grow.

But a lot of people neglect this advice and end up regretting it.

The sooner you start investing, the better compound interest canwork in your favor.

If you’re employed full-time, find out if your company offers a 401(k) match.

If they do, take advantage of it.

Calculate how much you should save.

Figure outhow to pick investments(index funds make it really easy).

Some experts refer to “The Gap.”

The Gap is just the difference between what you spend and what you earn.

If your lifestyle expenses are too high, it’s possible to live paycheck-to-paycheck even on a six-figure salary.

The wider the gap, the better off you’ll be, financially.

Earning more goes a long way in widening that gap, but spending less than you earn is key.

We have a limited supply of money, so we should spend it on stuff we actually care about.

Spending less than you earn helps you make better money decisions.

Make a list of all of your expenses.

Find out where every one of your dollars is spent.

Find out the mostcommon ways you waste your money.

See if there’s a way tocut back on each area.

Budget your expenses (more on that next).

When you get a new job or a pay increase,avoid lifestyle inflation.

A budget helps you organize your spending and make it deliberate.

It’s the first step in gaining control of your finances.

Money can be a very limiting resource.

It short, money can be really controlling.

Starting a budget is the first step in taking control of your finances.

You’re telling your money where to go and what to do.

Yes, you might still be unable to do certain things because you don’t have enough money.

But again, a budget is thefirststep in taking control.

Learn about your spending habits and list your regular expenses.

Draft a spending plan that you will follow regularly.

Read ourbudgeting primerthat will start you in the right direction.

Hone your budget using our tips on how tobuild the perfect budget.

When you’re struggling, even a small issue can seriously set you back.

An emergency fund helps soften the financial blow.

Let’s say you’re struggling to pay off student loan debt, and a car issue comes up.

It feels like you’ve just taken ten steps back for one step forward.

It’s a stressful scenario, but an emergency fund can help remedy it.

You feel secure and in control.

And that can be really motivating.

Open a savings account that you’re free to withdraw money from in case an emergency pops up.

Decidehow much money should be in your emergency fund.

You might want tostart low.

Decidewhat constitutes a true emergency.

Don’t spend the money unless a true emergency arises.

Don’t take on debt if you don’t have to.

When saving or investing money, compound interest can work in your favor.

But when it comes to debt, compound interest can be a nightmare.

Another reason to get out of debt: it can hold you back.

Many people who finally get their finances in order regret being careless about their debt in the past.

List all of your debts.

Student loan debt, credit card debt, your car loanlist them all.

Pick a method for paying each one off:The Debt Snowball, or maybeThe Stack Method.

Learn the difference betweenbad debt and good debt(good debt is taking on debt for an investment).

Work torepair your credit, if it’s bad.

Creating a budget and coming up with a financial plan go hand-in-hand.

Even if your goal is getting out of debtat least you’re working toward something.

You’re doing your best to manage the debt and keep it from growing.

Money doesn’t buy happiness, but it does afford options.

It gives you a purpose for saving, budgeting and living below your means.

Come up witha backup plan for financial setbacks.

This will help you stay on track with your goals in case of an emergency.

Setsmall milestonesto make your goals easier to achieve.

Learn how to deal withdiscouragementover goals that seem overwhelming.

Understand Your Taxes

We pay a lot in taxes.

We should know what we’re paying for and how the system works.

When you understand how taxes work, you might use that knowledge to your advantage.

For example, you might be eligible for some big deductions you don’t know about.

That could mean you’re missing out on some cash.

A little knowledge also helps you avoid IRS penalties.

The IRS can penalize you for not paying your estimated quarterly taxes, for example.

Many new freelancers learn this the hard way after their first year of self-employment.

Of course, you’ve got the option to hire a professional to help with this, too.

Read up on the basics of paying taxes.

Find out whattax bracketyou’re in.

Check out our post on how tosqueeze every last dollar from your tax return.

If you’re self-employed, find out how tohandle taxes if you’re a freelancer.

Learn about IRS penalties andcommon tax mistakes.

Learn why abig tax refund isn’t actually that great.

In general, financial topics put a lot of us to sleep.

When I tell people I write about “personal finance,” their eyes glaze over.

But the ultimate goal behind most personal finance advice is to become financially secure.

And that, on the other hand, can lead to some pretty exciting stuff.