Here are some things a retired and married Christian man did to reach financial security:
1. Live below your means. This requires sacrifice and deferred gratification.
2. Fully pay your monthly (cash back) credit card balance.
3. If you have a mortgage, pay above your monthly required payment.
3. Give to the needy and support the gospel.
4. Invest part of every pay for the long term (401/IRA). When you're young, 500S&P fund with low expenses (Vanguard).
5. Contribute to your children higher Ed via affordable online accredited colleges/universities.
You may have forgotten two:
Don’t commit or spend more than you are making.
Expect that possibly by the time you can afford something, you will need the worth somewhere else and you probably can’t afford both. There is no this is the way we did it in the past. Choices.
wy69