37 Money Lessons That Made Me a Millionaire in My 30s (as a single woman, without robbing a bank.)
Turning 37 today is a milestone I’m incredibly grateful for—having options and choices to live my life the way I want to is a dream I once didn’t think was possible.
My 30s were transformative years where I turned my wildest financial dreams into reality, becoming a millionaire in the process. But let me be clear: this success didn’t happen overnight.
I didn’t inherit a bunch of money or rob a bank—my wealth was built on lessons, some learned the hard way (like THIS mistake CNBC covered), and many from consistently investing in financial knowledge.
To celebrate my 37th birthday here are 37 lessons that helped me build wealth and achieve financial independence.
1. Your Money Story Matters
The beliefs you grew up with shape how you handle money. Maybe you heard, "Money doesn’t grow on trees," or "We can’t afford that." These narratives influence your financial decisions more than you think. While it’s not “your fault” if you have limiting beliefs holding you back, it is your responsibility to address the ones that don’t serve you. Without a strong money mindset, you’ll never build the wealth you want.
2. Money = Freedom
Money gives you optionality. It gives you the ability to say "yes" to opportunities, "no" to things that don’t align—including toxic relationships or jobs—and allows you more time to focus on what matters most.
3. Compound Interest = Magic
Start investing early. Even small amounts grow more thank you think over time thanks to compound interest. This is why investing random amounts of money per month is a mistake and it’s worth it to take some time to figure how much you can and should be investing to reach retirement. Need help? Check out the free financial independence mini-course that will help you answer these questions.
4. Pay Yourself First
Treat investing like a non-negotiable expense. You have to autmoate it the same way you do for Netflix or your phone bill so you never "forget."
5. The 4% Rule
If you want to retire early or comfortably, you need to know this. This rule suggests you can safely withdraw 4% of your assets annually without running out of money. Use it as a benchmark for your retirement goals. Need help calculating it? That’s exactly what you’ll learn in this free course.
6. Investing Is Self-Care
Wealth isn’t just about luxury; it’s about security and safety AND allows you to do the things that add true fulfillment to your life. For me it’s hiking, travel, and most recently ballroom dancing—which is surprisingly expensive but so much fun.
7. Inflation Is the Villain
If your money isn’t growing, it’s shrinking. Inflation erodes purchasing power, so investing is necessary to stay ahead. $100 in 2005 is only worth roughly $63 in this day and age. Learn more about how much inflation can steal your money here.
8. Keep It Simple
Complex strategies sound fancy, but simple ones often win. Buy, hold, and chill. Index funds and long-term thinking beat constant tinkering. I told CNBC about my favorite investing strategy here.
9. Index Funds Are BFFs
Low-cost, diversified, and easy to manage. Index funds let you own the market without the stress of picking individual stocks. We talk all about this in every single one of my free investing workshops.
10. Net Worth
Track your net worth—assets minus liabilities. It’s the best measure of financial progress. Want to do it automatically? This tool by Empower will help you do that for free.
11. Consistent Investing
Time in the market beats timing the market. Consistency trumps trying to outsmart the market.
12. Investing ≠ Gambling
Investing is about owning pieces of businesses, not rolling dice. It’s grounded in strategy and long-term thinking. The longer you invest, the lower your risk of losing money becomes.
13. Every Dollar Needs a Job
Your money should serve a purpose: grow (invest), secure (bills), or bring joy (experiences). There is a way to find a middle ground of investing for your future and enjoying life now—it just takes some planning and intention. This is something I love to help students with.
14. Ignore the Noise
Headlines are designed to grab attention, often by scaring you. Stay focused on your strategy. When I joined Fox 5 over the summer during a time of stock market instability, my main message was to reassure everyone not to panic…by the end of the week, the “global market meltdown” was over.
15. Learn as You Go
You don’t need to know it all to start investing. Begin with the basics and build your knowledge over time. Start here.
16. Advisors Cost $$$
A 1% fee might not sound like much, but over decades, it can cost you thousands. This is one of the biggest mistakes I made in my own investing life. Learn the basics yourself or consider low-cost, transparent options.
17. Annuities & Cash Value Life Insurance
These are complex and often expensive. Unless you deeply understand them—and by deeply I mean understand all the fees, the opportunity cost of not just investing that money in the stock market, and if it’s covering everything that you actually need—skip them.
18. Expense Ratios Matter
Fund fees can quietly eat into your returns. Stick to funds with fees under 0.2%, unless there’s a compelling reason otherwise.
19. 401(k) Fees Exist
Check what you’re paying in your workplace retirement plan. High 401k fees can drastically reduce your returns over time. Even the US department of Labor found that 28% of your retirement plan can be disintegrated by fees.
20. Make Investing Non-Negotiable
Treat investing as an expense, just like rent or utilities. It’s the key to building wealth because you are using your money to buy something that makes more money—what a concept!
21. 401(k) Match = Free Money
If your employer offers a match, take full advantage of it. That’s a guaranteed return on your contributions and part of your compensation. You worked hard for this money and you deserve to keep it (and grow it).
22. Roth IRA = Magic
Contribute post-tax dollars now and enjoy tax-free withdrawals in retirement. A Roth IRA is a no-brainer and one of the best investing accounts out there. If you’re not investing in one, you are missing out. Learn 3 things nobody tells you about your IRA here.
23. Taxable Brokerage Accounts Are Underrated
Don’t let taxes scare you. Paying taxes on gains means you’re making money.
24. Asset Allocation
Your mix of stocks and bonds matters. Too conservative, and you’ll miss out on growth; too aggressive, and you risk more volatility.
25. Investing = Tax Savings (even if you’re an entrepreneur)
Maximize tax-advantaged accounts like 401(k)s and IRAs first to lower your tax bill. If you’re an entrepreneur and you aren’t investing in an IRA or SEP IRA or Solo 401K you are probably paying more taxes than you should be and leaving money on the table. If you want to start investing as a 1099 or entrepreneur, don’t miss my free mini course investing 101 for founders, right here.
26. Money Isn’t Evil
Money isn’t good or evil. Money is a tool. How you wield it determines whether it builds or destroys.
27. Target-Date Funds
These "set it and forget it" funds are great for beginners. Just watch out for fees.
28. Stock Picking Is Overrated
Even most pros fail to beat the market. I highly suggest sticking to diversified index funds instead.
29. Prioritize Paying off High-Interest Debt
Debt with over 7% interest should be a top priority to pay off. The average return of the stock market is 10% and after inflation it’s more like ~7.5%. If you have CC debt piling up at over 7% or 8% and you are investing, you are basically cannibalizing your growth by not paying off your credit card. It’s like trying to run up an escalator.
30. Don’t Hoard Cash
An emergency fund is smart, but excess cash loses value over time. I’ve made this mistake before and it cost me ~$45,000. Invest the rest.
31. Ignore FOMO Tips
Your coworker’s "hot stock" is likely not hot. They read it in a random newsletter. Stick to your plan.
32. Stop Comparing
Your financial journey is unique and most people on instagram that look wealthy are in debt (I know because they work with me). Focus on your goals, not someone else’s.
33. Rent vs. Buy Isn’t One-Size-Fits-All
Homeownership isn’t always the right choice. Run the numbers for your situation.
34. Stop Waiting
Start investing today, even with a small amount. Time is your biggest ally.
35. Know Your WHY
Having a clear purpose makes saving and investing easier and more meaningful.
36. Mistakes Are Expensive Teachers
Learn from your financial missteps and move forward. Dwelling doesn’t help and if you don’t at least learn from it, then it’s an expensive mistake without a valuable lesson.
37. You Don’t Have to Be "Good at Math"
Building wealth is about habits and mindset, not complicated formulas.
BONUS: The CNBC Mistake
Even I’ve made mistakes—one so big it was covered by CNBC! But here’s the lesson: mistakes are part of the journey. What matters is learning from them and using those lessons to grow.
Ready to Take Control? You’ve got options.
Building financial independence starts with small, consistent steps. If you’re ready to begin your journey, I’m here to help. If you haven’t yet, grab free access to my 3-Day Journey to Financial Independence Mini-Course or join my next free beginner investing workshop here.
Book a 1x1 call with me!
Looking for individual help? Let’s chat. Feel free to schedule a 1x1 with me here to talk about your financial journey. I’d love to help you with resources and options to make sure you are building wealth before it’s too late.
