Dear FJ,
I write to you about money, the tool that makes the world work. No matter who you are or what you do, money affects you. Don’t chase money, even though you need it. Rather, chase time. Time is more precious than money and a scarce resource. School doesn’t teach this; even universities skip this module. Everyone seems to be on a pursuit for money.
Money can surely afford you things that make you happy.
Why Earning a High Salary Isn’t Enough to Build Wealth
Earning money is not all that matters.
It’s funny how most people think it’s all about earning. No, they are wrong. It’s about keeping what you earn that makes a difference.
Actually, keeping your money in the bank only won’t do the full job. Due to inflation, you will end up with half-baked bread. It’s about putting that money to work. Investing your money is not optional, it’s the optimal use of money. Talk about bread: by investing, your dough bakes and you can enjoy your sourdough bread later in life.
How to Escape the Rat Race and Buy Your Time
There is a fancy term: buying your freedom. Freedom from the chains of a salary like most people. You will be better off than I was when you listen to these words.
Listen, when I was your age, I didn’t know about freedom. In fact, I never knew that I was in chains. I thought that was life. “Normal” is the problem. Normal kills both your money and your time.
I had a normal life at your age. Spending money was the default after earning; for the most part, I never knew an alternative. My budget was simply what to spend on after being paid. Working to pay bills, ever heard of that? Living for working, and no living at all.
I write this worried about you. To most people, life is like a hanging computer program that won’t process the prompts. The more you click the mouse, the more it won’t work. The solution? Minor tricks might work but most times, resetting the mindset is needed.
The Power of Compound Interest for Young Investors
Investing is not for the mature or those already with money. In fact, it’s for you while you are still young and with more time in your backpack.
Investments need time to grow, and you currently have that time.
Being young is a financial superpower most people neglect. Compounding interest requires time, and that time is on your side. Long term personal finance and freedom, just like health, is built on tiny daily habits, not extreme measures once in a while.
Why Your Health Is Your Most Important Investment
Health is your most essential investment, the heartbeat of life. Much better than Unit Trusts and ETFs. Without health, your financial assets are meaningless. It’s like a fruit tree with no fruit which is not helpful if you are starving.
Health is more than just a Virgin Active membership account. It’s practicing what you preach. Paying for a gym membership you don’t use is investing in your gym’s financial freedom at the expense of both your health and your financial freedom.
Eat healthy food. No one has ever built muscle on sausage rolls and ginger nuts, or mentos sweets. Oh yes, and potato chips are not food; they are a junk snack. Binging on alcohol is one of the worst, most counterproductive activities. By the end of it, you will be wasted and broke. Definitely not a way to live your life. You are better than that. Alcohol, for the most part, has no benefits. It’s poison to your liver, nothing else.
You are better off drinking chamomile tea. Sleep is another underrated superpower. When one is young, sleep is often neglected. When I was your age, I viewed sleeping as laziness. How uninformed I was. A decade later, I now track my sleep like financial savings. I even bought myself an Oura sleep ring. Talk about a slow learner. Please don’t misunderstand me. I am not saying don’t spend money on health equipment or gym membership, the idea is to spend money on resources you actually use.
Developing a Growth Mindset for Life’s Success
What about personal development? It’s a critical part of a healthy person. Reading, learning, and stretching yourself that’s part of being alive. Aim high, dream bigger, and follow your dreams. Read books; particularly the Bible; don’t just store them on your shelf.
Remember to pray, we are spiritual beings more than we would like to admit. Connecting with God is good for you. Even meditation works. It’s not boring; it’s enriching.
How to Start Retirement Planning in Your 20s
Retirement preparation starts when you are young. You can’t build a roof when it’s raining; preparation goes a long way. The seemingly small savings add up with time. Learn the skill early and your old self will thank you.
These days, people are living longer. However, living longer is miserable when you are sick and poor. True retirement is balanced, including health, your money, and your social life.
- Your health: Strength training is good for everyone, don’t just overtrain your heart.
- Social life: Make friends like you used to do when you were a toddler. Life is boring on your own; a solo life is not ideal. Actually, life is not an individual sport. If you are keen on individualism, try tennis even then you need someone to compete with. Perhaps go for padel, just make sure you have a budget for the shoes and racket.
- Your options: Saving and investing money is not only about early retirement. For sure, the FIRE math works. But better than that, money can buy you options and choices.
What the FIRE Movement Teaches Us About Financial Freedom
I am a bit older; I was once your age. Time is ticking faster now, or maybe it is just my perception. The other day I was in school, and today I have a grey beard. What a shock. For sure, time flies when you are getting older, at least.
We just entered the first week of June in 2026. It’s officially winter by the looks of things. I leave home for work before sunrise and get back after sunset. It’s amazing how much time work life takes.
I am feeling a little Vitamin D deficiency since I can only enjoy the sun on weekends. Talk about living for the weekends. I am constantly reminded why financial independence is a priority. Better yet, it’s weekend and sunny today; I write this sitting in the winter sun.
If you haven’t started, June is the perfect time. When everyone else is pressing the snooze button on their alarm, you get up to pray, train, run, save, invest, and repeat. Freedom comes to those with tenacity and a willingness to fight a comfortable mindset.
How to Buy Your Freedom With Your Money
Okay, I have tried to condense as much wisdom as possible. But remember, each day is a blessing. Live life to the full. Don’t forget that you won’t be young forever. Don’t wish time away. Reflect, enjoy, and build a life you would like to live.
Last advice: buy your freedom with your money.
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