This 2016 was the year I was officially removed from the "early 20s list," and moved to the "late 20s" one. In five years time, I learned some great lessons on finance, both the easy and the hard way, and I'd like to share some with you.
Our view on finances greatly affects the direction and altitude that we will take in life. While money is not everything, our perspective and attitude towards it account for a great deal of our purpose, vision and direction. While 20-somethings still have a lot of time left to deal with their money issues, it's not an excuse to not learn as much as you can as early as possible.
1 Timothy 4:12 says, "Don't let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith and in purity."
Don't let anyone look down on you, not even yourself.
Here are four financial lessons to learn apply in our early 20s.
1. It's Never Too Early to Save
Sometimes people in their 20s don't make the effort to save as soon as possible because they don't feel the urgency yet. But putting aside finances for savings isn't just for when you retire or run out of work. It's also for when you get sick, have an emergency, need to have your car fixed and other unforeseen circumstances.
Proverbs 21:20 tells us, "Precious treasure and oil are in a wise man's dwelling, but a foolish man devours it."
You're never too young to start saving and you'll never know when a good extra amount of money in a bank account will come in handy.
2. Give and It Will Be Given to You
Generosity is such a powerful practice in that it not only causes us to plant a seed that we can reap in due time, but it also builds our character and compassion. When we use our money to meet the needs not just of ourselves but of others, we become more like Christ and thus draw nearer to His heart.
3. Invest in Knowledge, Not Things
I know how tempting it is to start filling up your living room with all kinds of stuff or getting the latest gadgets. But the best investment someone can make early on will always be to become more knowledge. The return on investment on education is without limits and you can never go wrong spending money on learning more and getting more information.
4. Relationships, Not Revenue
As important as money is, it's not the most important thing, and it's definitely not what will bring us joy. Money is simply a tool that carries us to our truest destination which is relationships. God's greatest command is to love God and to love others (Luke 10:27), which means our purpose is centred around relationships, not money.
