[ganonm]

The best piece of financial advice I can give people just starting out (e.g. early 20s), especially if they are working in startups, is this: make sure you have enough cash savings so that you can afford to be unemployed for at least 2-3 months. Besides the obvious safety net to ensure you aren't out on the streets in the event you leave/lose your job, the more important reason for this is so that you can afford to be picky about where you work next.

The opportunity cost of making a sub-optimal choice when it comes to employment is huge, both financially and in terms of your career. Taking a hit on a few months pay is a complete no-brainer if it means you can take a job that you find intellectually stimulating, gets you out of bed in the morning, and offers better long term compensation.