Perhaps too close to the “generic advice” you’ve discouraged, but: accrue money while it’s plentiful, spend money while it’s hard to come by. Right now, money

Perhaps too close to the “generic advice” you’ve discouraged, but: accrue money while it’s plentiful, spend money while it’s hard to come by. Right now, money is comparatively cheap and easy to come by. Salaries are high, the markets are doing well, and investment capital flows freely. During these times, most people spend money as freely as they earn it, which is a mistake. Your money will go farther during a downturn when liquid cash is rarer. So hoard now while others spend, and be willing to spend later when others are hoarding cash and it’s difficult to earn. This is the personal finance equivalent of the poker maxim to play loose when the table is tight, and play tight when the table is loose. And it works for largely the same reason.