
“I Wish I Knew This at 25” — Young Adult Money Mistakes
From My Retirement Clarity with Lee Perkins by Lee Perkins
May 21, 2026 · 21 min · Episode 187
About this episode
Lee discusses common financial regrets among young adults and the importance of early financial decisions.
Meet with us: http://talkwithjlp.com 📚 Looking for more financial education? Check out 👉 http://myretirementclarity.com If you want unfiltered financial advice, don’t just read a book, scroll the comments. Spend five minutes on Reddit or YouTube, and you’ll find people being brutally honest about what they wish they had done differently with money. Today, Lee breaks down some of the biggest financial regrets younger adults face and why small decisions early in life can quietly shape your future. The earlier you recognize these habits, the easier it becomes to build confidence, flexibility, and long-term financial stability. Here’s what we discuss in today’s show: 💸 Start Early: Compounding rewards consistency💳 Credit Card Trap: Minimum payments create long-term debt🏦 Too Much “Safety”: Inflation quietly erodes cash🎁 401(k) Match: Free money gets ignored🧭 No Real Plan: Lifestyle creep steals opportunity Want to set up a meeting with us? Visit us here: http://talkwithjp.com Get more financial education at http://myretirementclarity.com
People in this episode
Host: Lee Perkins
Topics covered
- financial regrets
- young adult money mistakes
- compounding
- credit card debt
- inflation
- financial planning
Keywords
- financial education
- money mistakes
- compounding rewards
- credit card trap
- 401(k) match
- financial stability
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: Reddit, YouTube, 401(k)
More episodes of My Retirement Clarity with Lee Perkins
- Beach, Budgets, and Balance: What Vacation Planning Really Looks Like in Retirement · June 10, 2026 · 16 min
- Three Questions From People Thinking About Retiring In 2026 · May 27, 2026 · 16 min
- Why Spending in Retirement Is Harder Than It Sounds · April 29, 2026 · 15 min
- Don't Waste Your Annual Financial Review · April 15, 2026 · 18 min
- The Federal Retirement Match: What It Means for You · March 25, 2026 · 18 min
- Tax Mistakes New Retirees Make (And How to Avoid Them) · March 11, 2026 · 16 min
Explore listener stats, chart rankings, contacts and more on the My Retirement Clarity with Lee Perkins podcast page.