The first thing you should do is to plan for retirement. Contributing early and regularly means that you can get by with contributing a lower overall percentage of your income and you do not need to worry about catching up later.<br/>It makes sense to plan as though you are going to be responsible for your retirement on your own.__1__It may help you to be able to retire early.<br/>A financial plan can include everything from your career plan to your retirement plan. If that feels like too much start out with a five-year plan. Where do you want to be in five years? What do you need to do financially to get there?<br/>__2__Be sure to include long-term goals like retirement as part of your plan. This may include going back to school to get your education to help with your next career goal.<br/>Now is a great time to focus on the career ladder.__3__Make clear goals and determine what you need to do to reach them. It may mean switching companies, moving to another city or going back to school. It may mean that you do side work or create a professional network and find a mentor to help you reach that goal.__4__It is okay to switch directions at some point and choose to go a new direction if you find a better fit for you.<br/>Dreams can change, but the key is to keep moving forward toward that dream.<br/>Budgeting is one of the biggest tools to managing your money properly. When you are single, it is easy to justify not creating a budget. Your expenses are straightforward and if you pay your bills what does it matter when and how you spend your money? However, your budget can help you find areas you can cut back on speeding to put more money toward savings or debt.__5__This does not mean you should not have fun, but determine how much you can afford to spend while working on your financial plan and stick to that amount.