The financial growing pains of becoming an adult.

Prioritizing what is important for your future and budgeting your money accordingly, are difficult lessons for adults. Over the years, I have had many employees want weekends off to go to parties, concerts, sports events, vacation with friends and family, and be unable to work on Mondays or Fridays (always with a different family excuse or illness). We expect this type of behavior from college kids and young adults. They’re on a learning curve. If you’re over 30, you need to step back and look to yourself as to why you are always broke. Unless you have had an illness, divorce, or other big life event, your constant state of being broke is caused by your own behavior.

People who were not born with a silver spoon in their mouth and inherited wealth, own their house, their vehicle, and their savings accounts because they showed up for work. It’s really that simple. You have to get out of bed and show up for work at least 5 days a week for 52 weeks of the year. If you save money or have a couple of weeks or more vacation time, then by all means take your vacation and time off. You got out of bed and showed up for work and earned those benefits. If you are taking time off every few weeks, you are broke for a reason and it is not employer’s fault. It’s on you. Your girlfriend, boyfriend, concerts, sports events, and social life in general are your first priority. Your future is not. Your bills are not. It’s not that your job isn’t paying you enough. It’s that you aren’t working. When you ask for a raise and don’t get a raise, it’s because you haven’t earned the raise. When you apply for a promotion and don’t get promoted, it’s because you didn’t earn the promotion. Yes, you may have performed well when you were actually there but you are not dependable. You are costing your employer money by not working. The world owes you nothing. The world isn’t fair. If you want the nice house, nice car, paid vacations, and to retire early, get out of bed and show up for work. Don’t blow all your money at the bars, casinos, and partying on the weekends. If you choose to prioritize social life over your future, then stop complaining to your employer, family, and friends that you have no money. It’s your own fault.