My neighbor Xiao Zhang just graduated from university and works at an ordinary company with a low salary, receiving 4000 yuan a month. He always found it hard to save money and often ended up with an empty wallet at the end of the month. One day, while chatting with Xiao Zhang in the elevator about saving money and financial management, he suddenly realized: 'No wonder I’ve been living so hard; it’s completely due to the wrong methods!'

Every time Xiao Zhang receives his salary, he quickly pays off his credit line and credit card, then saves a bit for meals, and spends the rest on various inexplicable 'pleasures,' such as buying a non-discounted trendy jacket, dining with friends at a high-end Japanese restaurant, or even occasionally buying blind boxes. By the end of the month, he finds that his bills for 'takeout and entertainment' alone exceed 2000 yuan, leaving him with almost nothing saved.

Xiao Zhang himself was also confused: 'It's not that I don’t want to save money, but I always feel like I can save a little more next month.' As a result, the next month was still the same.

I asked Xiao Zhang: 'Do you know why you can't save money?' After thinking for a long time, he replied, 'Because I spend too much?'

I smiled and told him: 'Actually, you just need to save 20% every time you receive your salary, and then plan how to spend the rest.'

• This is called the 'save first, spend later' principle: first set aside the portion to be saved, allowing spending to occur after savings.

• For example, if Xiao Zhang earns 4000 yuan per month, he first saves 800 yuan, then plans his living expenses with the remaining 3200 yuan.

Saving money is just the first step; keeping money in the bank yields very little interest. So I suggested Xiao Zhang try small investments, such as investing 500 yuan monthly into an index fund, while keeping the remaining money in money market funds or highly liquid financial products.

• Index fund regular investment: invest a fixed amount monthly, no need to time the market, and over the long term can average out costs and enjoy market growth dividends.

• Money market funds: high liquidity, yields higher than bank deposits, suitable for short-term idle funds.

Xiao Zhang and I calculated an account:

If he invests 500 yuan monthly, assuming an annual return of 8%, after 10 years, his principal will be 60,000 yuan, but his account balance will approach 90,000 yuan. This is the power of compound interest. The longer the time, the faster the growth of returns.

Xiao Zhang exclaimed: 'It turns out that time is also a tool for me to make money!'

After this chat, Xiao Zhang decided to try my suggestion. He set a simple 'three-step plan':

1. After the salary arrives, first save 800 yuan: part of it is kept in the bank for emergencies, and the other part is invested in money market funds.

2. Regularly invest 500 yuan monthly: choose an index fund with moderate risk.

3. Control spending: he used Excel to record all expenses and found that takeout and entertainment accounted for a large share, so the second month he actively reduced these unnecessary expenses.

A month later, he was pleasantly surprised to find that not only had he saved 1200 yuan, but his daily spending was not particularly affected. He said: 'It turns out that saving money and investing aren’t difficult; as long as you plan well, the pressure will be much less.'

• Save first, spend later: saving money isn’t hard; the key is to treat savings as a fixed expense and prioritize it.

• Start small, accumulate over time: you don’t need to invest a lot all at once; regular investment is a suitable method for beginners.

• Learn budget management: record daily expenses, identify unnecessary spending, and reduce meaningless expenditures.

Xiao Zhang went from being a 'moonlight clan' to being able to save money and start investing in just one month. The secret lies in changing his habits and implementing the principles of 'save first, spend later' and 'compound interest' into his life.

Investment and financial management are not exclusive to the rich. Even with an ordinary income, everyone can plan reasonably to ensure a more secure future. Can you, like Xiao Zhang, start making a 'small adjustment' to your life from today?