How careful spending in my teens taught me to be a better saver as an adult

I spent my younger years squirreling money away. Now I'm an adult, and so glad I did.

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My mother jokes that I still have the first dollar I ever earned. That's not exactly true, since I spent my initial Tooth Fairy earnings on a Beanie Baby. But still, the statement holds some weight. In my teens, my paychecks went toward fast food and small increments of fuel for my car, but a good portion of those funds was also spent contributing to my high school senior trip and other extracurriculars. Many times during my adolescence, my single mother faced a number of layoffs, allowing me to value the weight of a dollar and thus, save as many as of mine as possible.

Being frugal from a young age has enabled me to have a safety net in the event of my own unforeseen career setbacks. On the flipside, it's also allowed me the luxury of some guiltless spending when it comes to the fun stuff (like vacations and expensive purses). Here are some smart saving tips young adult me thanks teenage me for every single day.

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Allie Volpe

Allie Volpe is a culture and entertainment reporter based in Philadelphia. Her work has appeared on Noisey, Nylon, Glamour, Thrillist, Broadly, The Philadelphia Inquirer, and more. You can find her running along the Schuylkill River, writing in a coffee shop, or singing karaoke.