<prompt> Human: Hi guys! I just got my first paycheck from my boss today 612.00 after tax. How much should I save and how much can I spend? I really want a laptop for school next year, but saving or investing it might be good, too...Whats the ideal path to take here?  <response>: It depends almost entirely on your goals for the next few years, mainly: Do you need a car, and will you have to pay for it yourself? Do you plan to go to university, and will you have to pay for that yourself?If the answers to either of these questions is Yes, then you should scrimp and save as much as possible. If the answer to both is no, then you have more freedom to spend on fun stuff and laptops. However, even then you should still train your mind be being disciplined about putting aside a good chunk into long term savings, as this habit will be vital to the health of your personal finances when you are an adult. 