Trying to keep up with the Joneses means shelling out cash for stuff you didn't need in the first place.
There is a higher up-front expense associated with buying a larger home, as well as higher maintenance fees for the duration of your ownership.
Many people buy SUVs and pickup trucks with luxuries they'll never use, despite the vehicles' widespread appeal. If you never venture off of paved roads, the extra money spent on off-road capability is wasted.
When you don't make much money to begin with, it's hard to save. If you look for ways to make more money, you can save more and give up less.
Whether you get a mortgage or a credit card, you'll have to pay interest on the money you borrow. You're wasting money every month, especially if it's credit card interest.
When you start getting more money, it can be easy to spend the extra cash. Still, you can buy nicer things now. But spending the extra money on things that aren't necessary goes against your goal of making more money.
When your company matches what you put into your 401(k), it's much easier to save for retirement. Your savings can grow with money that doesn't have to come from your pocket.
It's never too early to start putting money away and letting it grow. It's not easy to save up the money you'll need to live happily in retirement in 10 or 20 years.
Leaving all your money alone might not make you more money. But you can use the money you already have to grow your wealth.
Investing is a good way to get richer, but you need to put in the right things. If you choose the wrong investments, you could lose the money you put in at first.