JP Morgan Chase Franklin and International Companies Blog

1. Pay yourself first.
   That’s a fancy way of saying you need to get in the habit of saving a portion of your earnings early on in life. It’s probably the biggest single predictor of financial independence for you in the future.

2. Invest your savings smartly.
   (A) First, make sure you set aside about three to six months of living expenses. Keep it in cash for unexpected events.
   (B) Consider salary sacrificing to your superannuation fund.

(C) If you still have money left, open a discount brokerage account and start making investments directly into individual shares.

1. Create a portfolio for all seasons. Your plan for portfolio allocation shouldn’t change with the investing environment. You will want a plan that you can stick to through thick and thin.