11 Money Rules To Unlearn and Upgrade To Grow Your Wealth, According to a Gen Z Money Expert

Much of the money advice many people were given growing up doesn’t really work anymore. Buying a home in your 20s and marrying rich might’ve made sense back then, but times have changed.

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Gen Z finance creator Taylor Price is helping people rethink the old-school money mindset. In one of her recent TikToks, she broke down 11 traditional money rules and replaced them with more realistic strategies for building wealth.

Old Rule: Don’t Spend More Than You Earn

Price’s new rule: Don’t let your lifestyle inflate with your income.

Living within your means is important, but you should also be aware of lifestyle creep. That’s when your expenses rise every time your paycheck does. Instead of upgrading your car, apartment or wardrobe every time you get a raise, keep your core expenses the same and funnel the extra money toward investing or saving.

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Old Rule: Save 10% of Your Income

Price’s new rule: Invest at least 20% of what you earn no matter what.

Saving won’t get you far if your money is just sitting in a low-interest savings account. Price’s advice is to invest at least 20% of your income into something that grows. The average savings account rate is 0.38% as of August 7, 2025, per CNBC, while the stock market has seen an average return of about 10% annually, per Experian.

Old Rule: Stick to a Budget

Price’s new rule: Build a spending plan that supports your goals.

Budgets can feel pretty restrictive, whereas a spending plan can feel more empowering and teach you to be intentional with your money. With a spending plan, you can allocate money toward things that actually matter to you, like travel, investing or building a business, while still covering your essentials.

Old Rule: Avoid Credit Cards

Price’s new rule: Utilize credit cards in a responsible way.

Credit cards can be beneficial if you actually know how to use them. If you use them correctly, they can help you build credit and earn rewards. Just make sure to pay off your balance in full every month and never spend more than what you can afford.

To use credit cards responsibly, Capital One recommended understanding your card’s terms, monitoring credit limits and reviewing monthly statements.

Old Rule: Buy a Home ASAP

Price’s new rule: Buy a home only when it adds freedom, not stress.

Owning a home used to be the American dream, but it may not make financial sense for everyone. Don’t feel pressured to buy if it’s going to leave you house poor or lock you into a place you don’t love.