Read 'The Millionaire Next Door' and 'A Random Walk Down Wall Street.' Those two books taught me more about money than anything else. The library has them for free. Most people who look rich are actually drowning in debt — real wealth is quiet.

Don't make a big financial decision when you're stressed or excited. Sleep on it. The dealership, the realtor, the salesman all want you to decide RIGHT NOW because pressure works in their favor. Walking away is always an option.

I'd talk to a few different banks and credit unions, not just the first one. Rates and fees vary a lot. Credit unions especially tend to have better rates than big banks because they're nonprofit and member-owned. Always shop around.

If your employer offers a 401k match, contribute at LEAST enough to get the full match. That's free money — like a 100% instant return. Skipping the match is leaving thousands of dollars on the table every single year. Do that before anything else.

The simplest advice I ever got was: spend less than you earn and invest the difference. Sounds obvious but most Americans don't do it. Track every dollar you spend for a month — you'll be shocked where your money goes.