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# Day 16: Money comes first
- URL: https://www.aliciamckay.co.nz/day-16-money-comes-first/
- Published: 2025-12-15T17:45:30.000Z
- Updated: 2025-12-15T17:45:30.000Z
- Description: Fight me.
- Author: Alicia McKay
- Tags: 🎄 24 Days of Unpopular Opinions

🎄

Welcome to [24 Days of Unpopular Opinions.](https://www.aliciamckay.co.nz/24-days/) In this series, enjoy an advent calendar of daily hot takes to help you get through the silly season.

When I speak to struggling young people - foster kids, teen mums - I give controversial advice: *put money first*. People are unreliable. Money does what it says on the tin.

Money is freedom. Money is options. Money is safety. Money is a place to stay, an exit from a shitty relationship, a reprieve from a dumb job. 

Poverty isn't moral, novel, or romantic. It's terrifying, sad, and shit. Prioritising money isn't gauche. It's smart and I want you to do it.

*Don't worry about corruption.* Few of you will get so rich you'll have to learn about the importance of friends and the dangers of an in-house McDonalds. 

*Don't worry about purpose*. Revisit that once you've got no debt, an emergency fund, and a side hustle. 

*Don't worry about guilt.* You're not the one fucking the system. Vote well, insist on taxing corporates and in the meantime, get your bag. 

Merry Christmas.

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### 🎄 About 24 Days of Unpopular Opinions

This December, I'm calling bullshit, to keep you sane over the silly season. Over 24 days, I'll share 24 unpopular opinions - like an advent calendar, but filled with controversy instead of chocolate. Share widely to whoever else needs this.

**Catch up on unpopular opinions you might have missed:**

[December 1: You don't have a strategy](https://www.aliciamckay.co.nz/day-1-2025/)

[December 2: CEOs are tiny babies](https://www.aliciamckay.co.nz/day-2-24-ceos-are-tiny-babies/)

[December 3: Women should be ugly and mean](https://www.aliciamckay.co.nz/women-should-be-ugly-and-mean/)

[December 4: Leaders are dry drunks](https://www.aliciamckay.co.nz/day-4-dry-drunk/)

[December 5: Conspiracy theorists are right](https://www.aliciamckay.co.nz/day-5-conspiracy-theorists)

[December 6: We should tell people to shut up](https://www.aliciamckay.co.nz/day-6-shut-up)

[December 7: We should lose our Internet privileges](https://www.aliciamckay.co.nz/day-7-internet)

[December 8: Self-help is a con](https://www.aliciamckay.co.nz/day-8-self-help/)

[December 9: There's no right answer](https://www.aliciamckay.co.nz/day-9-right-answer/)

[December 10: Play the power game](https://www.aliciamckay.co.nz/day-10-power-game)

[December 11: Email is evil](https://www.aliciamckay.co.nz/day-11-email-is-evil)

[December 12: Your list sucks](https://www.aliciamckay.co.nz/day-12-your-list-sucks)

[December 13: We need to talk about class](https://www.aliciamckay.co.nz/day-13-class)

[December 14: Kiwis don't work hard](https://www.aliciamckay.co.nz/day-14-work-hard)

[December 15: Boredom is good](https://www.aliciamckay.co.nz/day-15-boredom-is-good/)

[December 16: Money comes first](https://www.aliciamckay.co.nz/day-16-money-comes-first)

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