7 Surprising Money ‘Rules’ Most People Don’t Know (But Should)

d3sign via Getty Images There's more to money management than setting a budget. “It’s extraordinarily easy now in our society to spend money without thinking about it,” said Anne Lester, author of “Your Best Financial Life.” “You can sign up for auto-renew … you see something cute on Instagram, you go tap and boom, you bought it.” But being able to buy things too easily can lead to unconscious spending. “Making regular transfers to a high-yield savings account can help you build an emergency fund without feeling the pain of writing a check.” Lester also recommends automatically transferring money to a retirement account. “Even if you took it out after a year and paid a 10% penalty, you’d still come out way ahead.” If you don’t have access to a 401 plan through work, you can set up an individual retirement account and still have money automatically transferred, Lester explained. “Personal finances personal and seasonal … based on values life circumstances,” said Kara Stevens, founder of The Frugal Feminista and author of “Heal Your Relationship With Money.” Once you understand that other people’s priorities are not the same as yours, “you’ll be able to better identify the tools … that make the most sense for you.” Before creating a financial plan, Patrick Yono, founder and CEO of Sure Life Financial, recommends mapping out what’s important to you: What type of home do you want?