Save Early & Often
Put away as much as you can and increase the percentage as your income and budget allow.
Polish Your Credit
The most important credit-building step is to pay all of your bills on time. On each card, use no more than 30% of your limit.
Diversify Investments
Try for a mix of stocks and bonds. This can help your portfolio stay afloat during bad times and improve your long-term returns.
Set It & Forget It
Set up an automatic transfer from your checking ac- count to your savings or brokerage account (or both) each month shortly after payday so that your emergency and retirement funds will fatten up before you have a chance to spend the cash.
Negotiate Everything
You know it pays to haggle hard over cars and homes. A lot of other purchases are ripe for negotiation, too.
Vow To Be Debt Free
Dividend-paying stocks aren’t immune from declines, but they do offer a degree of insulation that others don’t. A word of warning though – rich dividends that look too good to last often don’t.