Millennial Who Saved $100,000 Before She Turned 26 Says 3 Tips Could Help You Do the Same

Tori Dunlap reminds you that personal finance is personal. To achieve financial success, it is important to do the best for yourself and not others. She reached that goal three months later than her 25th birthday. After quitting her job, she turned her blog into Her First 100K, a financial literacy brand that helps women to fight financial inequality and control their money. Dunlap is now 28 years old and has just published "Financial Feminist", her first book. It was a New York Times bestseller. She's gained a few valuable tips along the way that will help anyone who wants to achieve financial success. It takes time to become proficient at managing money. Dunlap told CNBC Make It that she believes we all come from the womb expecting magic to make money. But, we don't expect to be magically great at any other skill," Dunlap said. Dunlap considers herself fortunate that her parents taught her good financial habits from an early age. However, she acknowledges that not all people have the same foundation. Even if your parents do have good financial habits, it is easy to lose sight of the basics and fall into financial chaos. You'll be terrible at anything new. Dunlap admits that it won't work for you for a while. It is important to identify your values before setting money goals. This will help you understand yourself and your priorities. Dunlap states, "We need to really understand our values." This is not a matter of willpower. Many people want to achieve homeownership or early retirement. However, if your values align more with the freedom renting affords or the joy that your career brings, those goals don't have to be your goal. Dunlap states that you need to put a reason and your values behind your financial goals. "It's not enough to be told by my parents I should buy a home, but I think I should," Dunlap said. For any calamity, she recommends that you save three to six months of your living expenses in a high yield savings account. Dunlap states, "We all should be working towards that emergency fund, regardless of our financial status." This is the first step, even before you can pay off any debt. Dunlap states, "[Your emergency fund’s] job [is] just to sit there in case it needs it for a job Loss, your dog gets sick or you get sick, or your car gets a flat tire. You're now one step closer towards the financial future you want. Register now to get smarter about money and your career with our weekly newsletter. This is the ideal time for young people who want to build wealth, according an investment expert.