---
title: "3 things you need to be doing right now if you’re junior enlisted"
description: "The military provides a lot of benefits and if those benefits are managed well, anyone can save enough to set themselves up for success."
date: "2020-12-16"
modified: "2020-12-16"
authors:
  - name: "Meredith Mathis"
    link: "https://taskandpurpose.com/authors/meredith-mathis/"
url: "https://taskandpurpose.com/military-life/enlisted-financial-success-guide/"
categories:
  - "Culture"
---

# 3 things you need to be doing right now if you’re junior enlisted

![](<https://taskandpurpose.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/checklist-1-scaled.jpg>)

Making little changes to the way you spend and save your money now can mean the difference between retiring and …*retiring…*

Here’s what you need to do.

## Pay Your (Future) Self

Put 5% of each paycheck into a Thrift Savings Plan to gather interest until you cash it out when you leave the military. If you’re single, you get three meals a day and a roof over your head, so don’t waste money on food or living off base. Put a little money away each month and save it for emergency expenses

## Think about retirement now. No, seriously

It comes faster than you think, so build the future you want now. Open a retirement savings account, like a Roth IRA, and start adding to it each month. Get a life insurance plan from Navy Mutual that covers gaps in your SGLI and can build cash value as you age

## Good things come to those with high credit scores

Pay your credit card off *every* month to avoid fees, and keep your credit usage low. Sign up for a credit monitoring service and check your credit score every month. Put your bills on autopay and never get a late fee.

***This article is sponsored by [Navy Mutual](<https://bit.ly/38Sa74G>).***