You earn more than you did as a student, yet social spending, long-term goals and rising rent compete for attention. Start with a realistic money snapshotBegin by mapping exactly what comes in and what goes out each month. When you group expenses into clear categories, you see where your money actually goes rather than where you think it goes. When you see the difference an extra £50 a month makes, you can make informed decisions about where to focus your money. Investing outside your pension can also support mid- to long-term goals.