[returningfory2]

All of the comments so far have talked about mechanical things (researching investment vehicles, what percentage to save, etc), but in my experience to move beyond a paycheck-to-paycheck lifestyle the biggest change you need to make is psychological. You can do all the research you want, but if you don't change your mindset around money it won't make any difference.

In my case I was lucky. At the age of 25 I was also living paycheck-to-paycheck, and did an obnoxious 5 week trip around Europe which left me broke and unable to make rent. I had to ask my father for a loan to get me through, and the whole experience of that was humiliating. Especially because I had built up a self image of being financially independent. Within a week of that humiliation I had set up a planning spreadsheet and set up savings goals to never have to beg for money again (and it worked).

Point being that, for me at least, setting up the spreadsheet was the easy part - the hard part was deeply having the psychological shift of "I really need to save money".

[damascus]

I just finished the book The Psychology of Money and found it very informative in exactly this regard. Definitely recommend.