<prompt> Human: Ill go first. I wondered why I couldnt get a significant sum of money in my saving account over time. The problem was that I would keep tapping into it for some larger expenses. Duh! So to solve that problem I opened up an account with another bank and DIRECT DEPOSITed a certain of my paycheck there. I wouldnt be able to access the money there with just a intra-bank transfer, I would either have to get cash, write a check from that account, or do a wire transfer... so far I havent tapped into it. I kicked myself for not starting this sooner, but so glad I started this. : Id really like to hear your personal finance pro-tip. Im sure there are many out there.  <response>: 1 Micromanage my finances using Microsoft Excel -- Allows me to know everything involving my finances down to the last penny and has the flexibility to allow me to create speadsheets detailing interest amounts, loan length, cost-efficiency, and etc.2 Learn how loans worked and how to shop the best rates for what I need -- this is a big one. I probably could have saved quite a bit of money if I had simply understood how loans worked at a younger age.3 Learn to invest my money properly - I wasted quite a lot of time believing that allowing money to sit doing nothing in 0 interest checking accounts and 0.01 interest savings accounts. 