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I am 22 years old working my first post-grad job making about $4,000 a month post-tax with about $2,600 of monthly expenses (Post-tax is after 6% 401k investment, all health insurances, $50 monthly pre-tax transit, and maximum contribution to HSA).
My first financial goal is to save 6 months of expenses. After that, however, I am not 100% sure what to do next. The two main ideas I have in mind for when I have finished building up my emergency fund are as follows:
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Max 401k and invest the rest into a brokerage account.
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Keep 401k at 6% contribution (My company match amount) and invest the rest in a brokerage account to save up for a rental property in a few years.
I have always thought buying a rental property and saving the profits to buy a second, then a third, etc. is a great way to build wealth, but I am unsure of how to find a balance between this and retirement savings now. On one hand, I could make a lot of money by compounding rental properties and on the other hand if I max out my retirement savings now I am almost certain to have enough money in the future.
Overall, I am trying to figure out what are the best steps to take for my personal finances and would appreciate any advice to help me make my decisions. Other options and general advice are also greatly appreciated!
Thank you all!