By the time you reach your 30s, you should be beginning to feel that things are falling into place. Your 20s are a time to make mistakes and learn from them, and for a lot of people, they end up being financial. But in your 30s, your priorities may change, and you’ll be looking to create a more stable situation for yourself, while also thinking about your future. You may still be in the early stages of your career, but this is the time to make important decisions about your finances. Set yourself up for a better future with these four money moves to make in your 30s!

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1. Get rid of the debt

It’s easy to rack up debt in your 20s, especially if you’re dealing with student loans. But if you want to get serious about your future and start saving, then you need to work to clear your debts. Debts can be a powerful tool but they can also be a powerful drag on your finances. It’s easier than you think to get into a viscous interest payment cycle whereby it feels like you’ll never get out of debt. There are some fast and effective ways of clearing debt that can help you get your debt down quicker. With your debts cleared, you’ll be in a much better position to save money and start becoming more financially stable.

2. Work towards buying a property

Investing in property is one of the most sensible things you can do to provide for your future. Although it can be a lot of work and can be quite the financial decision to make, owning a home has proven time and time again to be a great way to build generational wealth. Mrs. Money and I bought our first house a few years ago and it proved to be a great investment for us over the years, not only in terms of the equity we built but also the increase in price we saw when we sold this past summer. Buying your own home can be very rewarding, helping you settle down and build up an asset for yourself. If you want to stop paying rent to someone else and save towards your future, then start saving for that down payment and make it a reality.

3. Start putting away for your future

Have you given much thought to what happens to your finances after you retire? Do you know what you want your income to be? Or how much you’ll need to save to achieve that? Getting a handle on your retirement contributions and your savings can help you make a plan for your future. For many young professionals, that means saving through your employer sponsored 401(k) or into an individual retirement account (IRA), or both! The number I’ve always heard and have worked towards is 15% of my paycheck. Of course I didn’t start out saving 15% but over time I increased my contribution amount annually until I got there. And the sooner you start planning, the more secure your future will be. Remember that interest that was holding you back in step 1? With investing, essentially that same negative force turns into a positive one and your money starts growing even faster. Consulting with an estate planning expert can help you make some informed decisions and take away the uncertainty. Planning for your retirement now gives you a wider range of options, and greater flexibility should your circumstances change along the way.

4. Make investments

Do you have dreams for the future? Then investing could be the way to make it happen. Whether you want to start your own business one day or even consider early retirement, then investing could be the way to grow your finances and help you reach your goals. This is often done as a supplement to retirement as there are maximum amounts you can contribute into a tax favored account each year. Learn more about long-term investments and how they can help you achieve financial success. It doesn’t have to be super complicated or fancy, I personally stick to low cost index funds ($VTI is a favorite of mine).

Your 30s are an ideal time to start taking your finances seriously and plan for your future. Make some sensible decisions that will help you grow your savings to help you not only make the most of your 30s but to make the most of your future too.

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