This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Georgia Lord, a 27-year-old certified financial planner and HENRY in New York City. It has been edited for length and clarity.
I studied finance and started my career in Brisbane, Australia.
When I was 22, I moved to New York to join Morningstar in the credit ratings division. I pivoted to financial planning for a Canadian Fintech called Wealthsimple a year later.
Courtesy of Georgia Lord
I discovered that I love financial planning and working one-on-one with clients. Last year, I got my certified financial planning license.
I now make a comfortable living, but I consider myself a HENRY and have a way to go before I hit my goals.
I make 6 figures but don’t feel wealthy
I earn a base salary of $125,000 and manage to live in New York City by being frugal. I love a bargain or a sale. I save for certain things I want, and I’m good at it because it’s my job. I’d feel like a hypocrite if I didn’t do what I told others to do.
I save on my Broadway tickets by entering into the lottery. I splurge on some things — I spend around $600 monthly on dining out. I also travel a lot, so I automate a certain amount of money every month for travel.
I lived with roommates for four years, and I’ve lived with my boyfriend for the last year. We split the rent more favorably to me since he makes quite a lot more, so I contribute $1,500 per month. That’s also been helpful for managing my finances.
I have a few financial goals
One of my financial goals is to save up for the professional designations available in my field since they can be expensive.
I want to retire early, and I want to keep prioritizing saving for travel and visiting my home in Australia, which is not cheap.
I’m also saving for a wedding and improving cash flow to move into a larger apartment.
To reach my savings goals, I automate at least 20% of my paycheck every two weeks and deposit it in a high-yield savings account. I use Wealthfront but also like Ally, CapitalOne360, and Betterment. I preach that to all of my clients who are HENRYs: Automate your savings for big goals.
There’s not a number in mind that I’m looking to reach to feel rich, but I will feel successful if I can achieve my goals without sacrificing my lifestyle in the process. Being in a great financial position today and in the future is what I consider rich.
I see HENRYs making one big mistake
Because the market did well in 2023, I’ve noticed HENRYs (both in my personal life and those I see as clients) wanting to throw money into it without thinking about how they will fund other goals, like a down payment for a house.
Not only is it harder to access funds once they’re invested, but there can also be financial benefits to other strategies. For example, some stock market returns might’ve been 3% last year, but some high-yield savings accounts have a return of 4.5%.
I still invest in the market, but I do so strategically. I have a 401(k), Roth IRA, Traditional IRA, brokerage account with Betterment, and a brokerage account in Australia. I mostly invest in ETFs — I’m not a stock picker and love the diversity that ETFs provide.
It can be difficult to figure out how to divide your money and where to put it, so I recommend HENRYs work with a financial planner. We’re not just for the rich — I’ve worked with clients in many different financial situations, and all can benefit.
Even if you’re not ready for a financial planner, take the time to think through what your goals are and what you want to spend your money on. That’s just as important as putting $100 into the stock market every week.
