Hey, I’m glad you’re here.
I’m a 25-year-old civil engineer, a newlywed, and someone who got a little obsessed with AI. Not in a science-fiction way. In the very practical “how do I use this to get ahead” way.
I graduated college in 2023 and entered the real world at what feels like the worst possible time. Inflation is up. Rent is up. Groceries are up. Wages? Not so much. Engineers make decent money, but decent money does not go as far as it used to. Especially when you are supporting two people on one income while your spouse finishes graduate school.
So I started doing what engineers do. I looked at the problem systematically and tried to optimize my way out of it.
What This Blog Is About
This blog exists because I got tired of personal finance content that assumed you were either already wealthy or willing to sacrifice everything to build wealth. Neither of those is my reality and I am guessing neither is yours.
I am not trying to retire at 30. I am not doing a no-spend year. I am trying to live a real life while also building wealth, paying down debt, and setting my wife and I up for a future we are actually excited about. Going out to dinner occasionally. Taking a trip. Having a nice home. All of it.
The way I am doing that comes down to three things.
AI and automation. I build scripts and automated workflows that run while I am at work. My computer earns while I earn. From tracking what hedge funds and politicians are buying to automating my morning financial briefing to finding the cheapest gas prices near me, if something can be automated I have tried to automate it.
Smart money management. Credit card points, cash back optimization, AI-powered budgeting tools, high-yield savings. Small optimizations that add up to hundreds or thousands of dollars a year without changing how you live.
Investing early and consistently. I am not a financial advisor and nothing here is financial advice. But I am someone who understands compound interest and takes it seriously. Every dollar invested in your 20s is worth multiples of a dollar invested in your 30s. I write about that math a lot.
Why One Income, Two People
My wife is in graduate school. That means right now everything runs on my salary.
We are not struggling but we are intentional. Every dollar has a job. We use AI tools to track spending, find savings we did not know existed, and make sure we are still putting money away for the future even when the budget feels tight.
I write about this stuff because I could not find anyone else writing about it honestly. Most finance blogs are written by people who either have a lot of money already or are trying to sell you a course. I am just a guy figuring it out in real time and sharing what actually works.
What You’ll Find Here
- Credit cards and rewards so you know which cards are worth it, how to stack cash back with savings apps, and how to build your credit from nothing
- AI budgeting tools that are actually worth your time
- Investing for beginners with compound interest explained simply, the best platforms to start with, and how to invest even when money is tight
- Workflow automation using Make.com, Zapier, Python scripts, and other tools that save time and occasionally make money
- Smart home and lifestyle gear, gadgets, and AI tools that make daily life cheaper and easier
A Few Important Notes
Nothing on this blog is financial advice. I am not a licensed financial advisor. Everything here is based on my own research, personal experience, and publicly available information. Always do your own research before making financial decisions.
Some posts contain affiliate links. If you sign up for a product or service through my links I may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. I only recommend things I have personally used or thoroughly researched.
Let’s Figure This Out Together
If you are a young professional trying to stretch your money further, automate the boring parts of your financial life, and actually build wealth without giving up everything fun then you are in the right place.
Welcome to The Modern Pro Blog.
Have a question or a topic you’d like me to cover? Reach out at themodernproblog@gmail.com