<prompt> Human: First time poster, Im 21 living with my gf, I recently got a jump in salary from making 7.25-10 an hour to a fixed 60kyear as a base offer with the opportunity to grow. This is as you can imagine a big step in my financial stability, however, every single person says I should save for a down payment for a house, am I crazy for thinking that shouldnt be on my plans right now?For a better perspective, we divide our expenses an even 5050 except groceries because we buy our own food separately we life in a comfortable around 600sqft in my estimate 1 bathroom, big merger living room and kitchen and a reasonably big bedroom. Our payment for the rent is around 375 with water bill includedamazing deal, a relative is renting to us. As of right now all our expenses combined cant even break 600 a month. I know its wise to save for the future but in the next ten years a house isnt something I perceive as something I should do, why would I pay for a mortgage 900-1500month for a place I need to maintain in the long run if we can live in an apartment and every repair needed is through our landlord? We have no kids and no plans on having them my only debt is around 10k of student loans and a car payment. I dont go out as much, I am content just staying in and playing a bit or watching a movie, occasionally I go out with gf if she wants to. Aside all that Id say I only splurge on tech toys and car parts here and there.Help me make sense of this, am I totally insane for not wanting to get myself into a house? I find the apartmentany other apartment way more practical for our situation than a house. Any help would be appreciated!21 60kyear 50k realistically take home Ive heardNo kids or plans on having them we do have a cat though, lolNo huge amounts of debt 10k Around 465 a month in living rent, internet, utilities, etcCar payment which fit comfortably I know you guys dont like car payments, Ive been a long time lurker and got great advice on building credit Assistant: Pay off your credit cards, build an emergency fund, and max out your 401kstart a Roth IRA. Also, and this is the big one, DO NOT BUY A HOUSE TOGETHER UNLESS YOURE MARRIED. Edit: to clarify, its fine to buy a house on your own if youre single. Im suggesting that OP not buy a house with his current girlfriend because theyre not married and that can result in a very complicated situation. Human: This exactly is what I was thinking, I am not married and I dont need a house in the next ten years, how should I come about maxing those things and how can I better understand what are they? Im new with this kind of money and I dont want to mess this up. Credit cards are 34 of them paid off, just one with a balance for 500  <response>: The side wiki on this page will help you with all the information you need with retirement, investing, etc. If youre going to continue having a credit card, pay it off every single month. You shouldnt ever have a balance on it. If you cant pay it off, dont use them. Credit card interest is very high and its just money down the drain. 