In our society, not much is said about money. It's considered something personal, uncomfortable, even a bit indecent. But then a logical question arises: how to learn to interact with money — to save, spend, and multiply it?

It's very simple and banal: start talking about it openly and constantly learn.

That's why we spoke with Anastasia Snihurenko, an expert in financial literacy and investments, and discussed the most typical financial mistakes made by people aged 18–25.

Anastasia explains: financial mistakes are not strictly "age-related," but they manifest most often at ages 18–25.

The reason is quite obvious — during this period, most people begin to earn independently for the first time and make financial decisions without parental control. And here, two extremes usually appear: focusing only on earning or only on saving.

Neither of these approaches works in the long term, as financial stability is always a balance between income, expenses, and savings.

1. Living only on income without a savings system

One of the most common situations at 20 looks like this: money just came into the account, and already after a week, one has to switch to strict saving mode. In such moments, it's easy to conclude: "I just need to earn more to cover all my expenses." But the problem is that expenses usually grow along with income.

Therefore, the strategy of "saving if something is left" almost never works. Because, as practice shows, nothing is left. As a result, there is no reserve fund, and even a short pause in income begins to cause anxiety and a sense of instability.

2. Focusing only on saving, not on income

The other extreme is when a person starts to control every expense but completely ignores the issue of income. At some point, life turns into constant cutting back: giving up extras, being cautious with every purchase, and sometimes even fearing to spend money on education or development. It seems that the less you spend — the safer it is. But it's important not to confuse expense control with financial stability.

Control is indeed the foundation. It helps not to spend money chaotically and better understand one's finances. But saving has its limits. At a certain point, cutting expenses further becomes impossible without harming the quality of life. Instead, income is a variable that has the potential to grow. Through new skills, experience, career development, or seeking additional opportunities.

That's why focusing only on saving often does not yield tangible results. Balance appears when expense control is combined with working on increasing income.

3. Lack of long-term thinking

At 20, the future seems like something very distant. And that's normal, as the focus is entirely on something else: covering basic needs, living a little, allowing oneself something. Our brain reacts more to short-term tasks than to something abstract like retirement in 40 years.

But there is one important nuance: at this age, we have the main financial resource — time. And this is a case where it really works for us. Therefore, it's worth gradually learning to think a little ahead: setting at least basic financial goals (savings, investments, asset formation).

Even small but regular investments can grow into significant capital over time. Conversely, a delayed start significantly reduces this effect. So starting early is much more important than starting with a large sum.

4. Impulsive spending for status

When one has their own money, the desire to look "on par" often comes with it. Thus, purchases of branded clothing on credit, spending "to not be worse than others," and decisions where the main criterion is status rather than real need quickly come into play.

At this moment, social comparison works very strongly. One wants to meet the expectations of their surroundings, gain approval, feel sufficiently successful right now, rather than later. And this is where money often starts to be spent on things that do not create long-term value, but at the same time gradually reduce financial freedom.

In fact, it turns out that we are paying not for an improvement in quality of life, but for the impression of it.

5. Lack of a basic financial system

Perhaps one of the most fundamental mistakes is the complete absence of any system in finances. That is, when there is no accounting for expenses, it is unclear where the money is disappearing, and the budget exists on the principle of "somehow it will be."

Why is this so widespread? Because financial literacy is hardly taught systematically anywhere. Most people come to this knowledge through their own experience, or rather — through their own mistakes. And sometimes this path takes years.

But the problem is that without a basic system, it is impossible to change anything realistically. If you do not understand what is happening with your money now, you cannot manage what will happen next.

The first step is to understand what the biggest problem is: low income, excessive expenses, lack of savings, or complete absence of a system.

Then Anastasia advises to move according to the following scheme:

If there is no stable income — it is worth investing in skills, experience, and the first job. Even basic positions with client communication provide critically important skills (sales, communication, self-presentation).

It is important to start tracking expenses. But it should be remembered that this is a tool for analysis, not for self-criticism.

You need to save immediately after receiving income. This can be 10%, a fixed amount, or even 1%. The main thing is regularity.

You can start with something simple, for example, military bonds, and then gradually study stocks and the stock market. Even small regular investments over a long horizon form significant capital.

So, financial literacy is about regular small actions. We all need to sort out our incomes, start saving, and already think about the future. That's enough to get started!