I’m In My 30s — Here Are The Money Mistakes I Made In My 20s
And what I’d do differently if I could go back.
I don’t have a sister, but if I did, I swear she would’ve grabbed me by the shoulders in my 20s and been like, “Babe. Stop. Do not do that.” I learned a few money lessons the hard way — like splurging on a Louis Vuitton handbag instead of investing, going shopping at the mall like it was my job, and buying endless fast-fashion pieces during peak blogger era because God forbid I repeat an outfit ever.
Now that I’m in my 30s, I can look back and laugh (or cry, depending on the day). But mostly, I want to pass on the big-sis money advice I wish I had when I was figuring everything out. This isn’t from a place of perfection — I’m certainly not a finance expert — but I’ve been through a lot of money messiness and want to save you the headache with tips I wish I’d known.
Here are the three biggest money mistakes I made in my 20s and what I’d do differently if I could go back and try again.
1. I didn’t start investing early.
When I was in my 20s, investing felt very intimidating. I’ve been self-employed since I was 23, which meant I didn’t have a traditional job offering a retirement plan, matching contributions, and HR explaining things with cute little charts. It was just me and my laptop against the world.
So I did what a lot of people do when something feels overwhelming: I ignored it, and I deeply regret that. Investing is one of those things where time matters more than how perfectly you do it or how much you actually invest.
In other words, you don’t necessarily have to be “good” at investing to see a payoff. You just have to start. The sooner you do, the sooner your money starts making more money for you. I, unfortunately, can’t get that time back, and it pains me to think about how much compound growth I missed out on by not starting earlier, even with just a small amount.
If I could go back, I’d do two things: Start with something, even if it’s just opening an account and setting up a $50 monthly auto-transfer. Also, I’d make it a priority to learn more about retirement and investing. I know money isn’t the sexiest topic — believe me, I’d also rather be scrolling TikTok — but setting up your future is an underrated act of self-love.
2. I spent money mindlessly.
I very much took the Ariana Grande “7 Rings” approach in my 20s. If I saw something I liked, I bought it with little to no hesitation. Cute going-out top from Forever 21? Need it. Some beauty influencer’s favorite MAC lipstick? Add to cart.
In the moment, it feels good, especially when you start making “big girl money” for the first time. You can finally afford the makeup, clothes, and little luxuries you used to admire from afar. But here’s what I wish I had known back then: There is a specific kind of regret that hits when you’re decluttering later on. You realize that the clothes you never wore with tags still on, the pile of barely-used skin care products, or random decor items you don’t want anymore used to be money in your bank account. Let that sink in for a bit.
If I could talk to my younger self, I wouldn’t tell her not to spend money (hey, a girl’s gotta have fun), but rather I’d tell her to slow down. Be more intentional. Create a “fun money” budget to spend guilt-free but within her limits and without compromising her financial goals.
The quick dopamine hit at checkout feels good (for like 10 minutes), but you know what feels even better? A stacked savings account. Investments that keep growing while you’re living your life. Peace of mind. That’s the kind of rich I wish I had chased in my 20s.
3. I racked up credit card debt.
This one still makes me cringe, but for the sake of passing on my hard-learned money wisdom, I’ll confess that a lot of the mindless spending I did in my 20s was on a credit card… and that spiraled fast.
To be fair, not all of it was irresponsible spending. A big chunk went toward trying to build a business. I had good intentions. I was trying to do something that mattered to me. Still, I wish I’d been smarter and more careful because my credit card balance got way higher than I ever planned.
What did that choice cost me long-term? Not to be dramatic, but years of my life. Literally. Not only does the guilt and stress of credit card debt take a real toll on you, but it also took me a few years to pay it off. That was money that could have gone toward other financial goals, like saving to buy a house.
My credit card rule now: If I can’t pay the balance in full each month, I don’t buy it. Period.
The Takeaway: Spend With Your Future Self In Mind
If I could go back and talk to my 20-something self, I wouldn’t tell her to stop having fun or to be perfect with money. I’d just tell her this: Start earlier, slow down a little, and don’t let your future self clean up messes your past self could’ve avoided. Even small shifts — investing something, being more intentional with spending, and not carrying credit card debt if you can avoid it — would’ve saved me years of stress.
So if you’re in your 20s and still figuring it out, consider this your big-sis reminder: You don’t have to be perfect. You’re learning. Just… don’t learn everything the hard way like I did. Cool? Start small. Those little choices add up faster than you think.
