Cut up a long white sheet into strips , maybe roll them in dirt and soot a bit and put little holes in them <| sep |> Best thing you can do is max out your 401 k , max out an IRA consider converting to Roth , would ask a CPA or FA if that ' s wise , then head over to Vanguard and use their account calculator to suggest a smart indexbond fund combo to save for items with a mediumterm horizon house , car , etc . Read mrmoneymuatache . com and surf bogleheads . Ignore the comments about your family . If you like living there , keep doing it . Also ignore your dad he doesn ' t know what he ' s talking about . CDs were great in the 80 s when interest rates were high . Focus on getting your money into taxadvantaged vehicles , max these out , then stick to taxefficient index funds with low fees a la Vanguard .