Live Like a College Student

Live poor for a year after graduation, and fork away some savings.

I'm sitting here in Austin, eating a $23 turkey sandwich. I'm not kidding. Let me break it down for you:
My per-diem dinner allowance while on trips: $25
Turkey sandwich I brought from home: ~$2

So I made $23 by eating tonight. And it's probably a lot healthier than the bacon-cheese burger at Applebee's, which is what I probably would have defaulted to. If you maintain the lifestyle you're used to after living in college, maxing out the Roth, the 401k, paying down credit cards, and getting a head start on a house down payment will be much easier.

Take it from me, going from $6/hr to 3-8 times that makes a huge impact on your available income, and if you can have the self-discipline to stick to the collegiate minimalist lifestyle for just a bit longer, the effects will last your entire life time.