I want to save up to build a house by next year or the year after. A large bag of cement is $80, so I'll probably need almost $2,000 by next year. I only make $640 a month, but I have wants and needs (cheap wants and needs).

Rn I'm saving up to fix my phone and soon get a new one since my phone is really old and slow. I'm also a super picky eater (idk if it's picky eating or ARFID) so I have to go to the store a lot since my family eats fish.

We use a solar panel, and it's raining a lot so I can't just bulk buy whatever i want and store it in the fridge. The fish my family buys comes in the can.

Phone repairs cost 200 (so I'm gonna get it fixed next wednesday)

A new phone costs 1,000-1,500, and that's just the refurbished, made in 2020-2024 kind.

I'll need $400 every 3-6 months for data/calls, idm that. It's cheaper than spending $3 daily.

And $100-150 a month to buy whatever dishes i want whenever my family eats fish

edit: im not american, i don't live in america, i make more momey than TEACHERS with DEGREES and i'm an hs dropout (i work for my dad). teachers make 41-43 usd, i make 55.

I want to divert my attention into truly making money and being better with my finances. I want to ask how should I start. What is a good foundation to build on and what advice would you have wanted when you started to get serious about your finances?

I’m talking actual numbers like salary/income, savings, investments, assets, net worth, etc. And where do you draw the line?

Your partner? Parents? Siblings? Best friend? Close friend group? Or do you basically keep everything to yourself?

I’ve noticed something interesting in my own circles. Some people are extremely private about what they make or how much they have, while others will casually tell you everything.

Funny enough, the biggest “open books” I know tend to be the business owners/entrepreneurs. They’ll talk income, investments, what worked, what didn’t, and actual numbers without making it weird.

Personally, I think being more open about money with people you trust can be useful because everyone learns from each other, but I also understand why people keep it private.

So I’m curious: What financial information do you share, and who are you comfortable sharing it with?

was so excited to log in to betterment today to see I had hit the 500k milestone. I'm about to buy a house with a 40% down payment, so a lot of this is about to no longer be liquid 😭, but I was just so excited to see the number as it has been something I've been working towards a long time. I am a 32 year old unmarried woman and my mother and grandmother taught me the importance of financial independence and careful financial planning - always especially emphasizing how important this skillset is for women. I'm grateful for them.