Why your 30s are the ideal time to plan finances

There’s a popular belief that your 20s are for finding yourself, your 30s and 40s are for building, and your 50s are for reaping the rewards.

But when it comes to your financial future, your 30s are far more than a transitional period - they are the foundation. What you do in this decade will have more impact on your long-term financial wellbeing than any other.

Why? Because the decisions you make in your 30s - or fail to make - shape not just your lifestyle today, but your options for decades to come.

The most valuable asset you have in your 30s isn’t your job title, property, or savings account - it’s time. If you invest early, time does the heavy lifting. This is the essence of compounding: small amounts, invested consistently and allowed to grow, can become meaningful.

Let’s compare two people:

Person A starts saving €3,000 a year from age 30-39 (10 years in total), then stops and never contributes again. Person B waits and starts saving €3,000 a year from age 40 to 59 (20 years in total). Both achieve a 7% annual return on their investments. Here’s what happens:

Person A ends up with €151,000 by age 60. Person B, ends up with €122,000 by age 60.

Let that sink in: the early saver ends up with €29,000 more, even though they contributed €30,000 less overall (€30,000 v €60,000). The difference? Time. Those early contributions had two extra decades to grow.

This isn’t an argument to stop saving after 40 - it’s a powerful reminder that getting started in your 30s gives you options. Time multiplies effort. And the earlier you begin, the less you need to do to end up in a strong position.

I know this as I’ve lived it.

In 2008, I was 31 and in a good job. The financial crisis hit, and like many others, I took a significant salary cut just to stay employed. A few years later, at 35, I was made redundant. I decided to back myself and start a business. That came with another pay cut - this time self-imposed.

For nearly a decade, I didn’t get back to my 2008 salary level. Financially, we lost ground - not just in terms of earnings, but in missed savings, pension contributions, and compounding. Oh, and did I mention we also bought our house in 2007 so spent the decade in negative equity. We might just get back what we paid for it today!

At the time, we were focused on survival and that’s absolutely fine as what else are you supposed to do? It’s why I can relate to those in their 30s worried about the effect of missing out on getting on the property ladder as I know the real cost. It wasn’t just the money we didn’t earn - it was the wealth we didn’t build.

I meet clients of my generation, plenty had a similar experience to me, others were able to dodge the worst of it, so I see just how important the 30s are, and how much harder it is to ‘catch up’ later. That experience has shaped how I approach financial planning today, both personally and professionally.

In your 30s, many financial firsts happen: first mortgage, first major promotion, first real conversations about retirement, inheritance, education funding. But beyond the milestones, it is also the decade financial habits are formed - habits that will compound, for better or worse.

Spending patterns, saving routines, investing behaviours - all tend to crystallise in your 30s. If you’ve never set a household budget, now is the time to start. If you’ve been meaning to sort your pension but haven’t, now is the time to act. If your insurance policies have not been reviewed since you started them, it’s time.

They’re not glamorous tasks, but they matter. They add up. They become the difference between feeling financially secure in your 50s and feeling you’re still playing catch-up.

If you’re not sure where to start, here are five key areas to focus on in your 30s:

• Start - or seriously increase - your pension contributions: Even small monthly amounts now can outperform large contributions later due to the extra years of growth.
• Build an emergency fund: Aim for six months of living expenses. This provides security and stops you raiding long-term savings when life throws a curveball.
• Get clear on your spending: Track your expenses and understand where your money goes. Lifestyle inflation is common in your 30s - so ensure income increases aren’t just being absorbed by subscriptions and takeaways.
• Protect your income: If your ability to earn is your biggest asset, it needs to be protected. Income protection and life cover aren’t exciting, but they are essential.
• Make investing a habit: Don’t wait for a lump sum or a ‘perfect’ time. Set up a monthly investment into a well-diversified fund. Let time and the market do the work.

It’s easy to feel overwhelmed, especially if you feel you’re starting late or you’ve made a few mistakes. The good news? You don’t need to have it all figured out. But you do need to start. The worst financial plan is the one that never gets made.

Your 30s don’t have to be about sacrifice- they just need to include intention. If you can strike a balance between living for today and planning for tomorrow, you’ll put yourself in a far stronger position when the bigger financial pressures of your 40s and 50s arrive.

Final Thoughts

There’s no ‘perfect’ time to start financial planning. But there is a best time - and for most people, it’s the moment you hit your 30s. You have enough income to make a difference, enough time for it to matter, and enough life ahead to reap the benefits.

I lost much of that decade, financially speaking. And while things eventually worked out, I’ve often wondered what might have been if we’d been able to stay on track. That’s why I’m so passionate about helping others use their 30s not just to build a life - but to build real financial freedom.

If you’re in your 30s, now is your time. Don’t waste it.