Here’s a question for you. What’s the most expensive purchase you’ll make in your life? A car? Nope. A house? You might think so but you would be wrong. Actually, it’s your retirement. Bet you didn’t think about that answer.

I know you’re young. Retirement is a long way off. Not even in the horizon. Well, there’s some good and there’s some bad with that kind of thinking. Since you do have 30 to 40 years before retirement, investing starting right now will pay off in huge financial dividends down the road.

But you have to do your homework with investing, matching 401k’s, having a set amount from your paycheck automatically deposited into your savings and so much more. Matching money from your paycheck from your employer is actually free money – and who doesn’t like free money? As for retirement not even on the horizon, unless you’re planning to be flipping burgers at 65, Talkin’ Money strongly suggests you start looking beyond the horizon.

April is National Financial Literacy Month, Talkin’ Money’s favorite month! To celebrate the importance of being financially literate, we’re going to post financial literacy tips every day.