Do This Right After You Get Paid | Smartest Way to Split Your Paycheck

Getting paid always feels good. But if your money seems to disappear way too fast, you’re definitely not the only one.

The truth is: “Most of us were never taught what to actually do with our paycheck once it hits our account.”

Those first few moves after payday can make all the difference. If done right, they can help you save, invest, and still enjoy life without stressing about running out of cash. Here’s a simple, way to split your paycheck that actually works.

Step 1: Pay Yourself First (Around 20%)

Here’s the thing: if you wait until the end of the month to save, you’ll almost always have nothing left.

So flip the script. The very first thing you do after getting paid is move a chunk into savings and investments. Even 10–20% makes a big difference over time.

This can be:

• Building an emergency fund (3–6 months of expenses is gold).
• Putting money into index funds or ETFs.
• Taking a small slice (maybe 2–5%) for riskier plays like crypto, if that’s your thing.

Think of it like this: your landlord always gets paid, your streaming services always get paid, why shouldn’t you?