Want as much money as your rich uncle? Start acting like a grown-up and…

… purchase a house
“I’ve always lived with my parents,” says Jeanie, 28. “So each month I’d blow my pay on new clothes and eating out. I wanted my own place but there was no way I’d ever be able to save a deposit.”

How she did it:
“I pooled my saving and made a down payment as much as I can. After two years and a serious lifestyle readjustment I got my own place.”

… get out of debt
“I got a credit card just for emergencies,” says Dina, 23. “Before I knew it, I was $5,000 in debt. I made huge monthly repayments but wasn’t making a dent in what I owed.”

How she got out: “I consolidated mydebts by getting a personal loan. It’ll take two years to clear the loan but the interest is lower and the repayments are better.”

Try this: Cut up those cards a.s.a.p. Log on to your bank’s website and use the loan calculators. They provide information on repayments and interest charges.

… learn to save
“Each year my boyfriend and I would travel overseas,” says Rick, 30. “But when we hit our late twenties, with no mortgage and no kids, we had nothing in the bank.”

How he did it: “I decided to deposit one-third of my pay into an account. I had to cut back on a few expenses, but now I have something tucked away.”