Growing up most of our lives we are never taught about personal finance it’s this niche topic that you sub-consciously learn. Some parents acknowledge the fact that their child must be financially literate so they do spend a well amount of time teaching it to their children. But as an Ethiopian child you never even have a seat at the big guys table to discuss finance it just something you figure out after you graduate and get into the work force. There are some improvements though because modern educated parents take a bit of time to drop in financial advice to their kids while handing them allowance or any other type of money. So me being the wise guru I am I already knew about the stock market, crypto investment, banking and all that stuff since I was in my mothers womb. Jokes aside here are some ideas, tips and tricks I experimented with.

1. Budgeting.

A budget can put you on a stronger financial footing in your day-to-day life and for achieving your long-term goals. By categorizing and tracking expenses you may find it easier to pay bills on time, build an emergency fund, and save for major expenses such as a car or home. To make a budget you need to start by calculating your take-home pay or allowance. You'll need to know how much money is coming in, and then you need to start tracking and categorizing your expenses. What are your fixed costs such as mortgage payments, transportation fees? What are your variable expenses such as food? Now you can start developing short and long-term goals. If you find it hard to budget on your own you can use some budgeting apps that are out there.

2. Prioritizing Spending

Merely creating a budget is not enough to achieve financial goals, and sticking to it is not easy, either. It is important to prioritize your expenses. Clarify the difference between essential expenses for needs and non-essential expenses to classify your spending Another approach is setting financial goals. You could have set short-term goals, such as saving up for a deposit on your first apartment or for the down payment on a car. Reviewing expenses can be a valuable process, and you may be pleasantly surprised as you gains more independence and becomes more mature," said David Haase, a private wealth planner at New Jersey-based retirement planning company RPT Wealth Strategies.

3. Creating an Emergency Fund

You will incur expenses that you do not expect—from car repairs to medical bills. You may be willing to chip in on these now. You can save once a month for your emergency fund then build up a year out plan as you have figured out your yearly income and expenses.

4. Balancing Checkbook and Using Money Apps

Getting to understand the importance of balancing your checkbook each week is essential. It's a useful way to monitor your bank account. Not only will it help you understand how the money is flowing in and out of your bank account, but it can also alert you of any unwanted or fraudulent charges. Using an app that handles both budgeting and balancing your account can make it much easier.

5. Being Smart With Money

Lessons in becoming smart about financial decisions don't need to start when your getting ready to head to college. It also doesn't mean merely understanding about financial pitfalls you need to watch out for. Starting out with solid financial habits can help build a good foundation. Instead of spending years recovering from your mistakes, you could start out ahead.

6. Become Debt Free

Pay off all your current debts and become debt free, and thing thoroughly about taking a debt. But try not to take debts if possible and if it is crucial for you to take debt make sure that you’ll be able to pay it off in a set amount of time.

# Bonus

One thing I really want to emphasize here it that you need to focus more on minimalism and essentialism. You need to prioritize what gets the job done first. Less is more you can do more than you think with what you already have it is not a must that you purchase the latest and greatest. You can push through life with just the bare minimum. I do not mean not to enjoy yourself once in a while because you should life is short you should take the time to enjoy it. And don’t let yourself get fooled by all the advertisements you see.