<prompt> Human: Ive got an decent amount saved up so far 40k and wondering what should I be doing with my money. Ive got no idea about any of this, all Ive done so far is get a credit card but havent used it once yet.  <response>: Right now mortgages are dirt cheap in Ontario mine is 2.7 and its pretty hard to find a conventional investment that pays better. The yearly increase in land value, by and large, is somewhere between 5 and 10. So, buy yourself a property. In Northern Ontario, someplace with water access would be a plus. Ask around and do some research. You may find a family friend who wants to get rid of a parcel of land, and get a good deal on it. Try to get a 25 downpayment to avoid CMHC involvement. Theyre a bunch of tax leeches.With the money you make, a concern should be reducing your tax rate. Have you set yourself up as a self employed professional yet? I would recommend doing so for the multiple tax benefits, especially if you own your own property. You can deduct the mortgage interest, ultilities, property taxes, upkeep and a host of other expenses for the portion of your property and even your house that is used exclusively for business related activities. Also your truck. RRSPs are a good way to go. Someone in your income bracket can expect a 25 tax return on investment. Do not bother with bank RRSPs. Get a self directed RRSP trading account, or seek a financial advisor with a good reputation to help. Keep an eye on the fees for both. Look into investing in solid performing items Canadian bank stocks are a good idea.You can treat your RRSP like an emergency fund, just remember that any money removed counts as income, and youll have to pay taxes on it. Everyone groans about keeping your RRSPs intact, but when you hit 65, you have to take em out anyway, and guess what? You still get taxed on that removal.If you do get a property, keep your mortgage amortization as low as you can stand for payments. It will whip the principal down fast. If your mortgage has a yearly pay down, use your tax return money to hit that. Your house equity also will work for you. When your equity is high enough, get a home equity line of credit when your mortgage rolls over, and cut up your other credit cards. It will work just the same, and also be a far easily accessable emergency fund.Also, never pay retail for a damn thing. A big ticket item like a truck or ?sled Im assuming a snowmobile? will lose 10-20 of its value the minute you take it off the lot. Buy privately or go to auctions. The warranties tied to the cost of new items are NOT worth the extra money. Big outfits like dealerships and chain stores like Sears have no problem dicking you around once they have your cash. Get what you need, but take the time to look around. Kijiji is an awesome resource. Now, one last thing: Youre 19. GO TRAVEL! You have no ties or obligations right now. Take some of your savings and see some of the world. It will be soon enough that you get tied to work, girlfriend, family problems, and property. Get your ass out there and go somewhere you always wanted to. Chances are you wont be able to again freely until youre retired, and being old abroad sucks just as bad as being old at home. Have some fun. 