If you’re in your 20s or 30s and think you're doing everything right—saving regularly, budgeting smart, avoiding debt—yet still feel like you’re falling behind… this one’s for you.

Because I thought I was winning the money game.

Until I wasn’t.

The Wake-Up Call

It started with a tweet.

One of those financial gurus posted:
“If your savings aren’t growing faster than inflation, they’re basically shrinking.”

Shrinking?

I had 20K sitting in a regular bank account like a proud overachiever. But suddenly, that number didn’t feel so secure.

Rent was up. Coffee cost more. My gym membership bumped up “due to inflation.” And I was still earning the same.

So I Googled:
“How to protect your money from inflation.”
Cue the information overload.

Stocks. Bonds. Commodities. Real estate. Crypto. REITs. TIPS. Diversification. I closed 12 tabs and gave up.

Then my friend Liv (the responsible one in our group chat) said, “Dude, you need a real financial advisor, not Reddit.”

The First Real Conversation About My Money

Enter Ava, a fee only financial advisor Liv had worked with. We jumped on a video call.

No jargon. No pressure. No sales pitch.

Just: “Tell me what you’re trying to do with your money.”

I rambled about inflation, buying a place someday, retiring before I’m 70, and maybe even moving abroad at some point. She nodded. “Cool. First, let’s make sure your money isn’t secretly losing value.”

Ava broke it down like this:

• Cash loses value over time if it’s not beating inflation. So your ‘safe’ savings? Not so safe.

• Investing = survival, not just wealth. If you’re not investing, you’re falling behind.

• Diversification isn't just rich-people talk—it’s how you spread risk and grow smarter.

I wasn’t trying to get rich overnight. I just didn’t want to wake up at 40 and realize I’d been financially sleepwalking through my prime earning years.

From "Saver" to "Investor" (Without Panic)

Over the next few weeks, Ava helped me:

• Move a chunk of my cash into an ETF portfolio designed to outpace inflation over time

• Keep my emergency fund separate (because adulting)

• Start small with monthly investing so it didn’t feel scary

• Review my work benefits (I was ignoring free money—wild)

She didn’t just build a plan. She built my plan. And the best part? Since she’s a fee only advisor, I knew her advice was legit—no commissions, no hidden agendas.

The Bigger Shift: Trusting Myself with Money

I used to feel weird talking about money. Like it was too complicated or just for people who “got it.”
But the truth? It's just a system. And once someone breaks it down for you, you never look at your finances the same again.

Inflation isn’t going away. But now I’ve got tools. A plan. And confidence that my money is finally working for me, not against me.

Quick Lessons I’d Tell My Younger Self:

• Saving is good. Investing is better.

• You don’t have to be rich to have a financial advisor—just ready to grow.

• If your money isn’t growing, it’s literally shrinking.

• Don’t wait for a financial crisis to start paying attention.

Final Thought:
Inflation is like a silent tax. You don’t feel it until you really feel it. But once you know how to fight back, you’re already ahead of 90% of people.

And it starts with asking: Is my money actually working for me?

Mine wasn’t.
Now? It is.