Rent. Food. Health and car insurance. Cellphone Bills. College loans. If you can relate, welcome to the club. With adulthood, comes many new bills that we didn’t have to consider before or were fortunate enough that our ‘rents helped out. Now, there’s a few more things to consider.

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Pick your poison for organizing time, whether it’s a hard copy agenda or google calendar and include the deadlines and balances for your new bills. Hopefully seeing that different bills are due throughout the month, it can seem less daunting than taking out a huge chunk of cash.

Many bills are now sent electronically though emails, such as phone and internet bills. But amongst work and shoe sale emails, they can get lost. Try to pay them off as soon as you get the email or have a specific email folder for bills so they don’t get lost in the sea of email spam.

Look for introductory offers for many things, such as cable and internet, as many companies can give you a deal as a new customer. This may mean changing companies every few months, but can really add up. Just remember to consider that you may be without internet for a day or two with the switch.

While you might be fortunate enough to be making more money than you did before these bills, still consider spending less. Live as if you are the tightest of tight budgets, and this will establish good habits. Whether this is living with your parents until you have no more debt or saying no to one night out, we have to realize we can’t have it all.

If you are splitting a certain bill with roommates, make sure to keep track of who owes what. Consider a Facebook message, it’s low key and will prevent roommate tension. Everytime you update it, they’re notified again in case they keep “forgetting” to pay back.

Do your future self a favour and pay off bills and loans as soon as you can. Even though the “I’ll pay for it later” mindset is easier, you still have to pay it off and you might as well just get er’ done and enjoy things later on.

Look into your health insurance options as soon as you can. While many of us were under our parent’s insurance for most of our life, that may not be the case anymore. Also, some jobs require you to work for a certain period until you get the benefits or you may have to get health insurance on your own completely. Your heath with thank you.

Prepare for the unexpected. You may come across “did-that-just-happen” expenses, such as your computer acting up or having to fix a part in your car you didn’t even know existed. A little savings for these instances never hurt.

With all of these new bills to pay, it’s going to take some major planning and budgeting to make sure you’re not stuck eating ramen noodles for the next few months. Math probably isn’t your thing either, but it’s time to consider some things that will help create good money habits for years to come.

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Never looking at your budget and never making a budget are the exact same thing.

If there are changes to your budget, such as an increase in rent, your cable bill goes down a little bit, or maybe you switch gyms, you’ll want to update your budget accordingly. Keep that budget up to date!

Keep tabs of your spending, there’s lots of great websites to help such as mint.com.

Hold onto those receipts to keep track of your spendings. Hate all that paper? Snap a photo on your cellphone.

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If you’re planning on setting weekly budgets, start on Mondays. As weekends tend to be the days that we say bye bye to most of the money, this will give you a better idea at the end of the work week how much you have left to spend on fun times.

Budget for your splurges. It’s inevitable that there will be some things you’ll want to spend more money on, from a good haircut to fancy coffee. Don’t ignore them, but rather consider your guilty pleasures into your budget and forgo things that aren’t as important to you instead.

Buy generic when you can, whether it’s pasta, soap, or household items. You may see no difference in quality, but see a difference in the amount you are spending.

Your twenty somethings are filled with lots of weddings, and while financing a wedding is obviously expensive, remember that wedding attendance can cost a whole lot as well. Luckily, you might know months in advance, but consider the costs that might come your way thanks to some I Do’s.

SOURCES

1. http://www.mint.com

Welcome to the adult major leagues, you can now use plastic to make whatever purchases you want. But here’s the fine print, you have to pay it back. Many twenty somethings can be naive as to what a credit card actually entails and that shiny piece of plastic can end up costing you more than you thought.

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These days with online and mobile banking, it only takes a few minutes to check out your recent purchases and watch out for any suspicious looking charges, even if they are only a few dollars. Keep your eye out.

Credit card fees can be expensive, as those companies have to make their money somehow and fees and interest seem to be how they do. Late fees can easily be avoided, pay on time and it’s not going to happen.

Analyze how you are spending. Is it routine purchases such as gas and groceries, or buying things you can’t really afford, like $200 shoes? If those costs make you cringe, it may be to time to change some habits.

The average credit card debt in Canada is $3,573, while they can be an absolute lifesaver if handled correctly, you really don’t want to have to pay that amount back, do you?

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If you travel a lot, consider finding a credit card that has a low foreign transaction fee. Travelling can already be expensive, so you might want to find a card that has a low percentage.

Explore your credit options. Find a card that offers some sort of rewards program that will benefit you and your lifestyle.

While getting a credit card may seem daunting, as you may already have some debt such as student loans, starting to build strong credit is important for the bigger purchases you might make in your future.

Moneysense.ca has looked into the best cards for our age group, and have narrowed it down to TD Emerald Visa for the best low-rate card, and Scotiabank Scene Visa for the top reward card, but look into different cards to see what’s right for you.

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SOURCES

1. http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/2013/01/14/credit-card-debt-canada-interest-rate_n_2468816.html

2. http://www.moneysense.ca/magazine-archive/canadas-best-credit-cards-2012

Since when has everything turned into a competition and we need to prove to everyone, family, friends, acquaintances, co-workers, enemies, and frenemies that our lives are awesome-er? Maybe our lives haven’t changed, but we are pressured to make our lives look as virtually appealing as possible.

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There are many times to not check your social media, being depressed, drinking, or unemployed seem pretty high
on that list.

In one month, the average Facebook user spends 15 hours and 33 minutes on the social media site, whether it’s scrolling the newsfeed, writing messages, or posting photos. You could probably spend those 15 hours and 33 minutes a little more wisely.

Put on some horse blinders (figuratively) and rather than focusing on what others are doing, focus on what’s in front of you and nothing else.

60% of social media time is spent on smartphones, not computers. Maybe consider deleting all of the social media apps to minimize time spent on these sites and to exclusively check only when you’re on a computer. Also, you’ll now have more time to look up from your phone in social situations, say what!

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Remember when comparing yourselves to others online that it’s an edited version of themselves. They probably aren’t going to post the nights they’re up late watching netflix, are they? If people are too busy putting PR spins on their lives, they may not care as much about yours as you thought.

Social media has gone from a hobby, to an obsession, to a chore we dread. But there are pros as well, such as keeping in touch with long distance friends, so try to focus on those aspects. Sign in, get what you need done, log out.

The opportunity to compare ourselves to our peers only happened at the ten-year reunion, or awkward coffee shop encounters, but now the interwebs had made this accessible to us every, single day. Our not-so-braggable lives are up for the world to see, but it’s up to you to decide how involved in social media you want to be.

So that you are not constantly feeling in ‘competition mode’ all of the time, try to take some time out from this and spend time with people from all walks of life and of different age groups.

SOURCES

1. http://www.statisticbrain.com/social-networking-statistics

2. http://www.businessinsider.com/social-media-engagement-statistics-2013-12

It seems like making friends when we were kids was a breeze, and going to university made us believe that we would constantly be making new friends forever. But why is it at some point the idea of “friending" has become so difficult?

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Get involved. Especially if you’ve moved to a new place, this will let you find people who are into the same kind of things you are. Volunteering, pottery classes, or hipster training? Whatever makes you happy.

You find your people where you find yourself. There is a reason people who are mentors, dancers, LGBT advocates, whatever, bond and stick together — because they are the people who are there for you when you are most vulnerably out of your comfort zone.

Sports may not be your thing, but consider joining a non-competitive team. Ultimate frisbee or dodgeball might be the limit to your physical activity, but there’s no doubt that you’ll have fun alongside your new team mates.

The more and more you see a person, the more likely you will become friends as repeated encounters can help you like the person better. It’s called the mere exposure effect. Science.

Be aware of cultural differences. Especially if moving to a new city or country, there may be things you are used to doing that could be seen as odd or rude, so friendship signals may be different in different places.

Ditch your phone. Resist scrolling through your various social media feeds when you’re in public places, such as the bus or line at the clothing store. This way, you’ll have more eye contact and therefore have a better chance of interacting
with them.

Be gutsy. If you see someone that you think will be a good fit to add into your friend list, let them know. The worst that can happen is they say no and then you realize they aren’t as cool as you originally thought.

Be aware of “fast friendships”, like adding a person on Facebook and giving yourself a pat on the back that you’ve made a new friend. However, if you don’t keep in touch or follow through, what was the point?

We’re the most uber-connected, plugged in, engaged, informed, yet insanely, isolated generation. We’re not really “talking” (status updates and tweets don’t count) and we are more in tune with the virtual world than the world around us. We need help!

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Fear of missing out, or FOMO as the kids like to call it, is a form of social anxiety that one will miss social opportunities. We now find ourselves texting other friends while we are hanging out with others.

The concept of missing out on these opportunities has become more common in the digital world as we are now getting reminders constantly, from the phantom vibrate to red notifications on Facebook.

We want to believe that keeping updated on everything is not “interrupting” our current connections, but rather the potential for a different connection. We don’t know if it’ll be better, or worse, until we check.

One study found that feelings of well-being and sociability increased when users interacted with friends on Facebook, from sending messages to “liking” things.

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Don’t let social media become death by validation. We have been conditioned for validation, from good grades to gold medals, and have now become addicted to likes, retweets, and hearts. However, what does that prove in the end anyway?

On average, users check their phones every six to seven minutes just in case something groundbreaking will happen. This hand held object has become an annoying tick in our lives that we are constantly checking.

FOMO is fueled by social media, so simply step away from your computer or smartphone and allow yourself some information detox.

Accept that you can be in only one place at a time. If you're going to do one thing, then acknowledge this will mean missing out on other things.

SOURCES

1. http://psychcentral.com/blog/archives/2011/04/14/fomo-addiction-the-fear-of-missing-out/

2. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2419419/All-lonely-Facebook-friends-Study-shows-social-media-makes-MORE-lonely-unhappy-LESS-sociable.html

3. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2276752/Mobile-users-leave-phone-minutes-check-150-times-day.html

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There is no blueprint to our lives, down to the number of kids, salary, and size of your house. No one has it
figured out. Imagine two years ago where you thought you would be now, and it’s probably not where you
are at this moment.

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Remember that a change of plans is not a failure, and being prepared to adapt and change your timing or goals may be necessary to your happiness and success in life.

Stop comparing yourself with others and feeling pressured to strive for goals that aren’t on your personal to-do list.

Try not to get too focused on time when making plans for the future. If life doesn’t pan out the way you thought, such as being married by 26, owning a home by 27, and having kids at 28, then you’ll feel disappointed.

Real life hardly ever works to a perfect schedule, and things will happen in their own time.

A phrase we should avoid saying is “if only”. More money. More relationships. A better job. This only discourages us more, and we should look at our achievements instead.

24% of young adults have moved back home with their parents due to declining employment, rising college enrolment, and a declining marriage rate.

Many have also postponed having a baby (22%) and getting married (20%) because of financial burdens.

Even though harsh times may occur throughout our lives, attitude is everything and it’s up to us how we interpret them.

SOURCES

1. http://www.pewsocialtrends.org/2012/03/15/the-boomerang-generation/

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It seems like more than ever there is a lack of time, from keeping up with friends, family, and significant others, to checking emails and social media websites, there’s hardly any time left to sleep let along reflect on ourselves. Remember that neither Rome nor Google were built in a day and we need to just give ourselves time.

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Alongside the busy-ness of a twenty something’s life, take some time to remember all of the things that you have achieved and that you should be proud or grateful for. From graduating, learning a valuable skill or life lesson, or establishing a relationship. Reflect on those achievements.

Try to find downtime, as the world we live in is full of rapid responses such as instant gratifications through text messages and social media, that makes it difficult to self-reflect.

Sometimes the most proactive thing you can do is de-plug and do absolutely nothing at all.

Try to not check your emails constantly throughout the day, but rather at certain times. That way you can focus on other projects and not have to keep switching back and forth.

Consider installing apps, such as StayFocused, that allow you to limit the amount of time you spend on certain websites, such as social media.

Evernote is a great program to stay organized, that you can sync between your computer and phone and allows you to organize your thoughts in one nifty place. You are able to organize your “notes” into categories so your mishmash of ideas aren’t all over the place.

Based off of the 80/20 rule, if you are working on multiple projects, try focusing on the one that will have the highest results. Imagine that 20% of your overall work gives you 80% of your rewards, so focus on those projects first as it’ll benefit you more.

Also, start single tasking as it will give you a sense of accomplishment. Getting one thing done at a time leaves nothing unfinished, and lets you forget about it afterwards so you can give your complete attention to the task at hand.

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SOURCES

1. https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/stayfocusd/laankejkbhbdhmipfmgcngdelahlfoji?hl=en

2. http://evernote.com/

3. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pareto_principle

It seems that growing up means we have to start acting like adults. We no longer have the university wild nights, financial restrictions factor into a lot of our decisions, and we begin to settle into routine. This should’t be the case!

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47% of workers believe they need a vacation more today than they needed four years ago. Between reading the countless emails and your 9-5 job slowing pouring into your weekends, we need to remember to take time to relax.

22% of workers have also cancelled vacation plans due to work. Wasn’t the point of the vacation to get away from that?

Don’t feel guilty about little indulges (in moderation). Buy that latte if you want, whipping cream and all, as it sets a happier tone for the rest of your day.

Give yourself reward-based incentives. It works better when you make these declarations in front of other people, or have someone hold you to your word.

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Travel. If you can afford it, it can broaden your horizons, allow you to see other cultures and other peoples’ point of view, and lets you incorporate any life lessons and culture you’ve picked up into your life and business.

Life gets busy and we have to prioritize, and we often put ourselves, from health, interest, hobbies, and general wellbeing last. May not be the best idea...

Give yourself the opportunity to breathe, to exercise, to go to the places you desire to go and to do the things you want to do.

While the concept of you only live once has become cliche, it’s still a great way to live life by. No one wants to be left with regrets, “if onlys” and “what ifs” in the end. #YOLO

SOURCES

1. http://ufcw.ca/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=2510%3Aby-the-numbers-vacation-time-around-the-world-&catid=6%3Adirections-newsletter&Itemid=306&lang=en

Nowadays, that piece of paper, such as a diploma or degree, no longer guarantees you employment and it now takes so much more. You really have to be on your A-game, from first impressions, to resumes, to interviews and you’ll hopefully be on your way to dreamjobland.

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For every job vacancy, there are 5.8 unemployed workers. The odds aren’t great, or in your favour, so how can you set yourself apart from the others?

13% of young adults have not participated in any form of education, employment, or training (known as NEET). Hopefully you can add those to your resume instead.

There are new marketing tactics, such as a website, that can really make you stand out. This allows a potential employer to discover your potential right away with an online presence.

Be aware that potential employers may be looking at your online presence through social media as well, so make sure those accounts are on their best behaviour.

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If you are looking into a specific industry, consider making your online persona fit that potential job. It’ll show that even when you’re not getting paid, you live by these values. Applying for an environmental company, photos of you hiking and creating a positive impact on the world will help.

Consider using infographics on your resume, as it convey tons of information quickly, clearly, and easier. Among the sea of black and white boring templates, little customizations are a nice touch.

Potential employers may be skimming your resume, so try to have someone look at your resume for 20 seconds and see what and how much they learned. If they’ve missed the mark, consider playing around with the formatting of your resume with fonts and wording to have your best features stand out.

Look past the resume as well and make sure it’s not sent alone. Include a well-written and customized cover letter. Also,  consider a small portfolio of work depending on what position you are applying for. It shows you actually know what you’re doing and not just saying you do.

SOURCES

1. http://www.canadianlabour.ca/national/news/58-unemployed-workers-every-job-vacancy-georgetti-says-government-has-no-job-creation

2. http://business.financialpost.com/2012/05/24/13-of-canadian-youth-unemployed-statscan/

Your twenties are the time to really figure out what kind of work you love to do. What are you good at and what do you dream about? If you don’t want to get lost in the land of cubicles, it’s time to really consider what you need to do in order to make you happy, and pay the bills at the same time.

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If you’re in a less than appealing job, filled with computers and spreadsheets, figure out what you need to learn there and learn it and find the opportunity to grow.

Your twenties are a game of elimination and may be less about finding out what you want to do, but finding out about what you do not want to do. Time to start crossing things off your list.

Just like quicksand, finding a comfortable job in your twenties is dangerous as it’s hard to escape. When it demands nothing you are no longer challenged or learning new things, it’s easy to get stuck.

Almost 50% of young adults work in sales, service, retail, food services and clerical work. While employment is awesome, you don’t want to get stuck in a job that is below your level of education.

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Overall, only 30% young adults  consider their current job their career, unlike 52% of those aged 35 and older.

With technology being a large part of our lives, it has allowed us to move away from the traditional 9-5 job. Don’t feel constrained to those limitations and if you want to do something differently, run with it and see what happens.

Many people also work from home, in Canada alone, 1.1 million people work from home most of the time. Just try to not work in your pyjamas all of the time.

There will be a time when finances and schedules will restrict you from switching things up, so your twenties are a great chance to try things, apply for things, and go do things that make you happy.

SOURCES

1. http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/why-are-so-many-of-canada-s-young-people-out-of-work-1.1370260

2. http://www.pewsocialtrends.org/2012/02/09/young-underemployed-and-optimistic/

3. https://www12.statcan.gc.ca/nhs-enm/2011/as-sa/99-012-x/99-012-x2011003_1-eng.cfm

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Success is one of the most subjective words in the history of subjective words, each person’s goals are unique and it’s easy to compare yourself to how you stack up to your peers. Whether you’re in your dream job or not, twenty somethings have plenty of time left to achieve these goals.

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Even though you may have had jobs that you wanted to quit every. single. day, be thankful for them as we can learn the most in the jobs we like the least.

We could have had it a heckuva-lot-worse, previous generations would have loved to trade their manual hard labour for making macchiatos, but here we are complaining. Lousy jobs have always been around, they’re just different.

Try to always bring the very best of yourself to work, even if it’s not the best work. Don’t give your job 50%, even if it’s only 50% of your dream job.

There are many other twenty somethings who may be struggling as well, as 1 in 4 young people with university degrees work in “low-skilled” jobs.

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Almost half (49%) of young adults have taken a job they didn’t want just to pay the bills, and 24% have taken an unpaid job to gain work experience.

You don’t want to confuse these setbacks for settling. Don’t think that if you’ve taken a less than ideal job that you’re a failure. You settle when you’ve completely given up, but you still have some fight left in yea. Reflect on some of your most memorable learning experiences and you will probably find that they came from situations of great challenge.

Everyone loves a great underdog story, such as Bill Gates’ first company failing miserably, Albert Einstein was regarded as unintelligent during his childhood, and Oprah was fired from her first reporting job for being too unfit for tv. It’s up to you to rise against the odds and achieve greatness.

If money defines success for you, the average annual Canadian worker’s salary is $46,634. However, begin by counting our blessings and not pay checks, as each and every opportunity allows us to grow more than our paychecks.

SOURCES

1. http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/why-are-so-many-of-canada-s-young-people-out-of-work-1.1370260

2. http://www.pewsocialtrends.org/2012/02/09/young-underemployed-and-optimistic/

3. http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/top-canadian-ceos-earn-annual-worker-s-salary-by-lunchtime-on-jan-2-1.2481494

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