1. Mr. Spratt’s Life Advice

2. Money
It doesn’t matter how much you make, it matters how much you save
Avoid a wasteful lifestyle
Stuff doesn’t make you happy, but financial insecurity does make you unhappy.
Invest your saved money, and don’t touch it
VTSAX or S&P 500
Take advantage of any tax sheltered savings possible (401k, IRA, etc.)
Taxes: Use TurboTax or some other online tax program. It’s easy.

3. Money Income Expenses Savings Rate Financial Independence
Wealth After 10 Years
50000 0%
Never
40000
20%
24 Years
172,126.68
30000
40%
16 Years
344,253.37
25000
50%
13 Years
430,316.71
20000
60%
10 Years
516,380.05
10000
80%
5 Years
688,506.73

4. Education
Two good reasons to go to college: You’re passionate about a particular thing they teach at college, or you’re passionate about a career that you need a college degree to get.
Not a good reason to go to college: You want to make a ton of money. Doing something you love makes you happy, not making a ton of money. If you love welding, become a welder. If you love designing buildings, go to college and become an architect. Decisions made with you wallet will usually be wrong.
Live away from home if possible; it’s more expensive, but well worth it for the experience.

5. College (and adulthood in general)
Live cheaply. A crappy car should be a badge of honor. It means you aren’t a consumeristic robot.
How to pay for college without family assistance: Scholarships>Grants>Money you earn yourself by working>Money you save by living cheaply>Student Loans
Don’t be afraid to talk to your professors. They are paid to help you, and they are generally very nice people. (This also applies to high school teachers)
Try to get along with your roommates. Learn to compromise and communicate with them.
Don’t be afraid to make the first move socially. Bored? Invite people over to watch a movie or play Frisbee.
Try to say yes to new experiences as often as possible.

6. Careers If you do something you love it doesn’t feel like work.
Try to imagine that money didn’t exist. If that were the case, what would you want to be?
If you have a bad day at work, that doesn’t mean you’re in the wrong career. Keep showing up and things will probably improve.
Work goes faster when you work hard. The lazy people are the ones who are least satisfied.
A good test: Ask yourself “If I died young, would I be satisfied with what I’d done with my life?”

7. Romance Keep dates simple. Elaborate first dates scare people off.
The 3 C’s: Communication, Compromise, Commitment.
Be nice
LISTEN!
Date people you would want to hang out with even if you weren’t dating.
Like a career, one bad day in a relationship doesn’t mean it’s wrong. Wait a week. Odds are it will be better. If it’s not, consider moving on. Above all, if things are rough, TALK ABOUT IT!!! (see the first “C”)
Caveat: Don’t ever stay in an abusive relationship. That’s the one exception where you don’t need to wait a week to see if things get better.

8. Hobbies
Have some, do them. It doesn’t matter what they are as long as you like them.
If possible, try to discover new hobbies throughout your life.
If possible, try to involve other people in your hobbies and try to get involved in theirs.

9. Health and Fitness
Find active things you enjoy and do them frequently.
You don’t need to be some health-food disciple, just avoid stuff that is obviously really bad for you (I’m looking at you, soda)
Get a bike and ride it to destinations within a couple miles of you. Healthy, cheap, and fun!
Learn to cook your own food. It’s way better for you, usually tastes better, and is a lot cheaper.
If you’re serious about cooking, get yourself a good 10 inch chef’s knife and keep it sharp. It’s about the only knife you truly need in your kitchen.

10. A Meaningful Life
Life is satisfying when you worry less about yourself and more about other people. Try to become more selfless.
Find your own meaning in life. If existing belief structures make you happy and bring you a sense of purpose, terrific! But don’t be afraid to explore other philosophies and seek to determine your own “grand goal of being.”
Caveat on making mistakes: Everyone screws up now and then. Other people’s mistakes are just as bad as yours, so don’t feel too embarrassed about it. One bad choice doesn’t define you as a person. Cheer up, forgive yourself, move on. Try to learn from the experience.