Whether you’re navigating school, managing your first job, or planning your next step following a life change, getting a handle on investing, budgeting, and professional development can help you feel more confident and prepared.

With the right information and tools, you can begin making informed decisions that align with your personal goals. Here’s a beginner-friendly guide to help you explore these areas, along with a few resources to take the first steps.

Investing: learning to grow your money over time

Investing means putting your money into assets like stocks, bonds, or mutual funds with the goal of long-term growth. There is no universal method or strategy, but investing can prove to be a useful tool so long as you have an informed approach.

Things to keep in mind:

• Start small, set realistic expectations, and stick to your plan.
• Focus on learning and thinking long-term rather than trying to beat the market in the short term.
• Know that all investments carry some level of risk, including the risk of loss.

Useful tools and resources: 

• Rocket Money: Source for news, advice, and tools for investing and building wealth.
• Investopedia: A library of articles and tutorials breaking down investment concepts and terminology.
• Planet Money or Marketplace: Podcasts discussing the economy and the stock market in a digestible format.

Budgeting and saving: gaining control of day-to-day finances

Creating a budget and a habit of saving are essential first steps in managing your money. Together, they can give you a better picture of where your money is going and help you prepare for expenses, expected and unexpected.

Things to keep in mind:

• A budget is flexible, and you can adjust it according to your lifestyle.
• Putting aside money, even if it’s just a small amount, is helpful over time.
• Don’t forget about your emergency savings.
• Don’t charge more on your card than you can afford to pay in total when your bill is due. The interest rates are so high that you can get caught in a cycle of increasing debt.

Useful tools and resources:

• Credit Karma: Helps track spending automatically by linking to your accounts.
• Quicken Simpilfi: Budget and money management app that can track spending, income, and manage finances.
• NerdWallet Budget Templates: Free worksheets to help you build your plan.

Professional development: building skills for your career path

Professional development is about building your skills, gaining experience, and creating growth opportunities. Whether you’re aiming for a specific career or just figuring things out, it’s never too early to explore your interests and prepare for future opportunities.

Things to keep in mind:

• Your path doesn’t need to be linear; exploring options is part of the process.
• Developing a resume, learning online, and networking can open doors.
• Doing the little things, like updating your LinkedIn and setting up informational meetings, can prove helpful over time.

Useful tools and resources:

• LinkedIn Learning: Offers a wide range of professional courses you can explore at your own pace.
• Coursera or Google Career Certificates: Accessible learning for job-ready skills.
• HBR IdeaCast, How I Built This, or Front Row Seat with Ken Coleman: Professional development podcasts offering insights on navigating corporate life, inspiring entrepreneurial thinking, and discovering and pursuing meaningful work.

Getting started can often be the hardest part of any journey. Remember that you don’t need to have everything figured out at once; the focus should be on making progress, not achieving perfection.

As you advance in your personal finance and professional development, understand that your path may differ from others. The key is to keep an open mind, stay informed, and create a plan that aligns with your values and goals.