It has been my experience that how you manage your money is far more important than how much you earn. I had 2 years in my life that I'd earned more than 30k, but was able to retire early. Not by choice, I was unable to find full-time work and retired at 55, worked 2 years from 57-59 PT then moved abroad and built a house. Came back to the USA just before eligible for age 62 SS and to vote in 2020.

I of coarse earned money outside of working, but am a terrible businessman because I'm too concerned with being fair and the other side being happy.

After an injury, my ambulance chaser recommended I take the state aptitude testing and I did so. I have always been good at testing even though I dropped out of school at the start of 9th grade. So the state aptitude testing was 9-10 separate timed tests and I couldn't finish a single test and thought gee I'm dumb, not realising its not meant for you to Finnish them.

When I went back to get my results the councillor said I had 2 good career paths, one was computer programming, and the other was bank management. I understood and agreed with the programming, I'd bought and used computers more than a decade before. The bank management thing made me laugh, there I am looking like a hick, bad, skin, bad teeth, a lazy eye... I told the councillor that the next time a bank manager position opened let em know I'm available. The thing is, the tests don't show knowledge, they show ability or how you view things.

Often I pay bills ahead, and that can pay off... As an example I pay my rent 2 weeks early and that way its actually 6 weeks before due again. My credit score is at or above 800, and when I drove still I had 0% interest on one new car and .9% interest on another. My last property loan was an HELOC at 2.74 % guaranteed lowest rate available, no closing costs and a check for 200. I'd originally took out the loan for the 200 bucks.

I used that HELOC several times during its 10 year borrowing timeframe. Loaned out once at 14.57% holding a 7 year mortgage. Loaned out a portion at 18% on a 3 year loan. Bought a condo and got the Obama 10% rebate as well.

Anyways I'm not an expert on where to invest, but getting debt-free is a very good idea and after that start a business of some sort, even a micro business. Also if you have kids in government school you need to get them out! Private school or home school. All the laws being passed to teach Woke CRT and gay shit will not stop it. Generations will pass before school systems become normal, if they ever were. You only have to barely pass college and be a liberal and voila you have a job. Trade school and apprenticeships are the way to go these days.

God bless, and sorry for the rant.