But I do want to zoom in on those two or three spending areas that vary wildly—and that I want to control. For me, it’s eating out, travel, and clothes.

Don’t accept credit card offers that come in the mail or from retail stores like Gap or Nordstrom.

Sometimes the most advanced thing you can do is the basics, consistently.

Indeed, by diversifying your investments, you’ll make more money as an individual investor.

I allocate up to $300 for eating out and coffee each month, and when I exhaust this, I turn to drinking instant coffee and packing my lunch.

The bank’s interest rate should be competitive. Transferring money around should be easy and free, because you’ll be doing a lot of it, and you should have free bill paying. Their app or website should be something you enjoy using.

First, to inspire you to take action on paying off your student debt, play with the financial calculators at bankrate.com. You’ll be able to see how paying different amounts changes the total amount you’ll owe. Second, I want to encourage you to put at least $50 more each month toward any debt you have. Not only is it a psychological victory to

So if you were to invest in stocks, you’d want to diversify, buying all different types of stocks or stock funds to have a balanced portfolio.

Remember: In relationships and work, we want to be better than average. In investing, average is great.