Pay Yourself First: The Only Money Principle That Actually Matters
Money.
Just reading the word probably triggered something in you. Maybe excitement, maybe anxiety, maybe that weird guilty feeling when you know you should check your bank account but keep putting it off.
Let's be honest. Most people have a love-hate relationship with money. They want more of it, but they're uncomfortable talking about it. They stress when they don't have enough, but feel guilty when they focus too much on getting it.
Some of us were taught "money is the root of all evil" or " rich people are greedy." Others grew up with "we don't talk about money" or my personal favorite: " I just want enough to be comfortable," but never actually defining what "comfortable" means.
Here's the truth: Money impacts literally every area of your life, whether you like it or not.
Your relationships,
your health,
your stress levels,
your freedom,
your ability to help others.
Everything is influenced by your financial situation.
And since money touches every part of our lives, doesn't it make sense to develop a positive relationship with it instead of avoiding it? Treating money as a tool rather than something to fear or idolize can completely transform your life.
In this newsletter, I will share some simple yet effective principles that helped me get on the right path. Nothing complicated or fancy. Just practical approaches that anyone can implement, regardless of where you're starting from. And the first step to building financial freedom? Paying yourself first.
Pay Yourself First: The Golden Rule of Money
The biggest money mistake most people make isn't complicated. It's simple:
They pay themselves last.
Bills come in? Pay them. See something cool online? Buy it. Friends want to go out? Swipe the card. And then, if there's anything left at the end of the month (spoiler: there never is), maybe they'll save a few bucks.
Here's the problem: what you have left after spending isn't wealth-building material. It's money dust. The solution?
Pay yourself first.
Before you pay rent, before you buy groceries, before you do anything else, take a percentage of your income and put it away for future you. Make it automatic so you don't have to think about it.
I started doing this as a student. Every time money hit my account, 150 euros immediately went to a separate account I couldn't easily access. Did it hurt sometimes? Hell yes. But that small habit completely changed my relationship with money.
It's like telling your money: " Hey, a chunk of you isn't available for spending. Deal with it." Then you build your life on what's left.
When you pay yourself first, three things happen:
You avoid lifestyle creep
You build wealth on autopilot (no willpower needed)
Your money starts working for you, every dollar becomes a tiny employee hustling 24/7 (don't worry, we'll get to know these little workers better later)
The best part? This works at ANY income level. Start with 1% if you have to, but start.
Investing Is The New Saving: Why "Just Saving" Is Dead
So you're setting money aside. Great! But where that money goes matters just as much as the habit itself.
Let me be brutally honest: traditional "saving " is dead. Your grandma could stash cash in a savings account and watch it grow.
Today?
Inflation is eating your savings alive. That money sitting in your bank account? It's actually losing value every year when inflation is 3-4 % and even higher.
This is where most people get stuck. They know they should "save," but they don't realize that in 2025, investing IS saving. It's the bare minimum required to not go backward.
Remember those tiny dollar employees I mentioned? Every Euro or Dollar is actually a little worker that will hustle for you, 24 hours a day, for as long as you keep it. But you don't want these hardworking little guys just sitting around doom-scrolling on TikTok in your zero-interest bank account. That's basically paying them to do nothing while they waste their potential watching dance trends and prank videos.
Instead, you need to put these employees somewhere they can actually produce results. You need to sweep them into investments where they'll work their hardest for you, multiplying and bringing back friends.
Where To Put Your Money To Work
"Alright, I got it, Dustin, saving is out, investing is in. But in what should I invest?"
Let's get practical. I'm assuming you're debt-free or at least handling high-interest debt. If you're still paying 18% on credit cards, that's your first "investment".
Pay those off!
I'm also assuming you're not currently paying off a house or planning to take out a mortgage in the next few years. If you are, you'll need some cash set aside for that.
For everyone else, where should your little dollar employees be working? The answer is surprisingly simple: the stock market. Specifically, the entire world economy.
Here's the deal: You could spend countless hours researching individual companies, reading earnings reports, and trying to outsmart millions of other investors. Or you could simply own tiny pieces of thousands of successful businesses all at once.
The easiest way to do this? A low-cost, globally diversified index fund or ETF. Something like Vanguard's FTSE All-World ETF (WKN: A1JX52 for those who want to get started right away!) or similar options from other providers.
Why does this approach work? Because you're betting on human innovation and progress across the entire planet. You're not trying to pick winners, you're owning all the winners (and some losers, but that's okay).
The stock market has returned roughly 7-10 % annually over the long term. No, not every year. Some years it drops 20% or more. Other years it soars. But over decades, the trend has reliably been upward.
The key is:
Buy regularly, automatically
Keep costs low
Ignore the daily news and price movements.
Hold for decades, not months.
That's it. No complex strategy. No timing the market. No day trading. Just consistent, boring investing that actually works.
Bitcoin: The Asset That Could Change Everything
Now, I can't talk about money without mentioning Bitcoin. Full disclosure: I'm a big-time believer and long-term holder.
Why? Most countries worldwide are drowning in debt, and the math doesn't add up. Governments are borrowing at rates their productivity can't possibly match. I don't know exactly when this house of cards collapses, but systems built on endless debt eventually break.
When monetary systems falter, owning productive assets (like those index funds) remains valuable. But having an asset that's fixed in supply (only 21 million Bitcoin ever), 100% ownable, and easily transportable becomes not just attractive, it becomes essential.
Here's what's fascinating: while mainstream media debates whether Bitcoin is a fad, the smart money is moving in. BlackRock, JPMorgan, and other major institutions are quietly accumulating. They know what's coming.
I'm not suggesting you go all-in. But ignoring what could be the most important monetary innovation of our lifetime seems like a bigger risk than allocating a reasonable percentage to it.
Start with education, then consider dollar-cost averaging, putting small, fixed amounts into Bitcoin regularly, regardless of price. Build your position steadily while the rest of the world catches up.
This is just a brief introduction to Bitcoin. I wanted to mention it so you can start educating yourself on this fascinating topic. If you have any questions about Bitcoin, feel free to get in touch. I'll be dedicating an entire newsletter to Bitcoin in the near future.
Wrapping It Up
Let's bring this all together:
Pay yourself first: Before any other expense, set aside a portion of your income for your future self.
Invest, don't just save: Put those funds to work in low-cost index funds that capture the growth of the entire global economy.
Bitcoin allocation: Consider exposure to Bitcoin as a hedge against currency devaluation.
Automate everything: Set up systems so your money moves without you having to think about it. Willpower is overrated. Modern online brokers make this ridiculously easy, you can literally set up automatic investing from your smartphone in minutes. No excuses.
Ignore the noise: The financial media exists to sell ads, not make you wealthy. Most financial "news" is best ignored.
So there you have it.
In two words: World-ETF and Bitcoin.
It is simplistic advice, but if you go out and read 20 books worth of financial and investing advice and distill them into only a few paragraphs, you'll probably end up at the same place. I encourage you to get more into investing, too, if you find it interesting, but if you just want the cheat sheet of what countless millionaires do with their money, just follow the points above, and you're good.
If you need any technical help getting started, setting up a brokerage account, or purchasing your first Bitcoin, feel free to reach out, and I'll get you sorted in no time. The technical stuff shouldn't be what stops you from building wealth.
See you in the next one!
WeWill invest
