Life at 30: Should you be saving or enjoying?

SINGAPORE: For some, turning 30 is “scary” probably because of this notion that you should have achieved something by then, while sometimes, maybe people are just afraid of getting old. A Redditor curious about the financial goals of those in their near thirties and past thirties describes the age of 30 as “quite a monumental one”.

Undertheflow, a male Redditor in his late twenties, commented that he’s working on his savings but emphasized that when he’s older, he ‘wants to look back and realise that he’s enjoyed life too.’ He shared his intention to prioritize savings while emphasizing the importance of enjoying life, including travel and spending time with friends. He noted, “Having all the money in the bank but not enjoying life is not for me man.”

Author Mark Manson shared ten life lessons you need to excel in your 30s. He emailed it to his subscribers and shared their thoughts on his blog:

10 Lessons When You Reach Life at 30

1. Start saving today: Pay all your debts, keep an emergency fund, open a savings account, and don’t invest in anything you don’t understand.
2. Start taking care of your health now: Although we already know this, it’s still worth repeating: take charge of your health now.
3. Learn how to say no: Stop spending time with people who don’t treat you properly. Build strong and healthy boundaries.
4. Be good to people you care about: Make more time for important relationships. Spend time with your friends and family more.
5. Focus on doing a few things well: Life in your 20s can prompt you to dream big and explore, and we have all the time in the world. Focus on one thing and do well at it instead of trying everything out.
6. Take risks: The notion of “having it all” by 30 is incorrect. Whether it’s about your career, dating, or financial situation, you can still take risks and start over. “All adults are winging it.”
7. Grow and develop: You should continue to improve and grow in your 30s. Some go back to school, some upskill, while some start businesses at 30.
8. Nobody knows what they’re doing: If you think you’re the only one who hasn’t figured it all out, take it easy. As Mark Manson said, “This continues to be true in one’s 30s and, well, forever it seems; and it continues to be good news forever as well.”
9. Invest in your family: Work on your relationships with your family and start thinking about whether you want to create your own family.
10. Be kind to yourself: Nancy, a 60-year-old woman, shared, “Be a little selfish and do something for yourself every day, something different once a month and something spectacular every year.”

Martin, a 58-year-old subscriber of Mark Manson’s blog, also said, “When I turned forty my father told me that I’d enjoy my forties because in your twenties you think you know what’s going on, in your thirties you realize you probably don’t, and in your forties you can relax and just accept things. I’m 58 and he was right.”

So, should you be saving or enjoying? Why not both?