Choi Byeong-moon (Representative, Korea Financial Design):
“Managing money is not just about growing assets—it’s about protecting the life you want. This book will give you the solid foundation you need so that you never have to give up on your dreams because of money.”

Park Jin-young (Representative, AFTY Economic News Platform):
“This is not a book you read and put aside. It is a guide you can put into practice immediately. The moment you open this book, change begins.”

Publisher‘s Review

“Don’t give up what you love because of money.” —The financial planning you must master before your take-home pay reaches 3 million won per month.

New professionals must get their finances in order, because this stage of life comes with the most uncertainties. Starting a job, living alone, dating, preparing for marriage—every aspect of life changes rapidly, and there is no way to predict when or how much impact these changes will have. Yet most financial advice ignores this reality, merely repeating empty phrases like “make a plan, save money, invest.”

Managing Money Like the Rich, Even as a Salaried Worker is different. It explains step by step how to build a financial system that handles uncertainty and runs reliably.

At the core of this book is automated money management: rather than obsessing over saving and investing techniques, building a system that automatically saves money while allowing you to spend as needed is far more effective in the long run. The time and energy you save can then be used to live the life you truly want. Your time as a young professional is an irreplaceable asset.

Every principle in this book points toward a single goal: freeing yourself from money anxiety and gaining the freedom to pursue what you love. Managing money has never been solely about growing assets—it is about protecting the life you want.

As Park Jin-young, representative of the economic news platform AFTY, says: “This is not a book you read and put aside. It is a guide you can put into practice immediately.” This book will bring tremendous change to your life.

Small actions taken today will completely reshape your life three to five years from now. Perfection is not required—persistence is what matters. This book is recommended for anyone who longs for financial freedom. Open it, and change begins right now.

★ A tax accountant and top scorer on the CFP exam delivers the most fundamental, hands-on practical money management guide for new professionals. Seven steps to build an automated financial system—no high salary needed, start right away.

★ The Most Basic, Most Practical Handbook Tailored for New Professionals: This book does not pile up common financial keywords like saving, frugality, stocks, or real estate. Instead, it focuses on how to easily implement financial principles in daily life, specifically designed for new professionals who want to protect and manage a modest paycheck.

★ No Talent or High Salary Needed—Start Immediately: Whether your monthly salary is 2.5 million won or 4 million won, and whether or not you have financial knowledge, you can start right away. The principles in this book remain effective regardless of income growth or life changes—learn once and benefit for a lifetime.

★ Seven Progressive Steps: From separating bank accounts, optimizing living expenses, arranging insurance, building an emergency fund, using loans wisely, taking advantage of government financial products, to starting investing—seven steps to build a complete financial system.

★ An Automated Money Management System: Rather than obsessing over saving and investing techniques, this book advocates building an automated system that naturally saves money while allowing you to spend as needed. In the long run, this approach is more efficient, saving you time and energy to live the life you want.

★ Selected as a Recommended Book: Chosen as a Korea Economic Daily recommended book for the fourth week of December 2025, with two industry experts contributing forewords.

You get paid, but nothing is left by the end of the month? Before you think about investing blindly, you need to learn how to manage your money.

“How does everyone manage their finances?” “My salary comes in, but it’s gone in an instant.” Money management is a perennial hot topic across social media platforms. Watching money flash through your account, everyone knows they should manage it better—but no one knows where to start.

The market is flooded with information about saving and investing, but there are few clear guidelines telling the average salaried worker: where to spend your salary, how much to spend, and how to spend it.

The new book Managing Money Like the Rich, Even as a Salaried Worker is the most fundamental and hands-on practical money management handbook, created specifically for new professionals who want to protect and manage a modest paycheck.

This book does not pile up common financial keywords like saving, extreme frugality, stocks, or real estate. Instead, it focuses on how to easily implement financial principles in daily life. It avoids empty generalities like “how to save small amounts” or “investing is important.” Instead, it answers one by one the most confusing real-life questions that everyone asks but no one clearly explains: How much of my salary should I save? Where should I put that money, and how much should I save before stopping? Should I prioritize an ISA, a youth housing savings account, or loan repayment?

The author, Jeon Hajeong, is a tax accountant working at a Korean accounting firm, managing assets for numerous clients. She also passed the internationally certified financial planner (CFP) exam with the highest score.

While managing assets for high-net-worth individuals, she realized that new professionals are the ones who need systematic financial guidance the most—yet there are almost no practical guides suited to their situation. This realization drove her to write this book.

The greatest advantage of this book: no talent or high salary is needed. Whether your monthly salary is 2.5 million won or 4 million won, and whether or not you have financial knowledge, you can start right away. The principles in this book remain effective regardless of income growth or life changes—learn once and benefit for a lifetime, with exceptional practicality.

Simply skimming from beginning to end will give you a clear direction for your finances. Even with a modest paycheck, once you master the right way to manage it, you already have the potential to become wealthy.

Jeon Hajeong

Accountant / Tax Accountant.

Currently working as a tax accountant. Achieved the highest score on the 45th International Certified Financial Planner (CFP) examination.

At a Korean accounting firm, she works as a tax specialist in inheritance and gift taxation, handling asset planning for numerous clients. In the course of her work, she realized that tax knowledge alone could not solve clients‘ real financial difficulties. So while still working, she prepared for the CFP exam and passed with the highest score, expanding her perspective to holistic asset planning.

She discovered that the professional knowledge and asset growth principles she mastered are not only applicable to the wealthy. Young people just entering society need systematic money management methods even more urgently—yet there are no realistic, practical guides available for them.

This book is the most fundamental, most hands-on practical money management handbook, created specifically for new professionals who want to protect and manage a modest paycheck.

Her wish is that young professionals, who may feel lost and anxious, can break free from money anxiety and focus on living their own lives.

Foreword: Choi Byeong-moon (Representative, Korea Financial Design)
Foreword: Park Jin-young (Representative, AFTY Economic News Platform)
Prologue: What You, Receiving Your First Paycheck, Truly Need to Know

Part One: Essential Money Basics for Those with Only One Bank Account

Chapter 1: The Real Reason You Can’t Save Money
Life Is Full of Unknowns
The More Information, the More Confusing It Becomes

Chapter 2: When You Spend, Make Sure You Have Enough to Spend
Two Strategies for Handling Uncertainty
Having Standards Is the Only Way to Save Money

Part Two: Step-by-Step Practical Money Management, Starting from 1 Won

Chapter 1: Let Me Tell You the Order of Things
Pay Off Loans First, or Build an Emergency Fund First?

Chapter 2: Step One: Separate Your Bank Accounts
Separate Accounts to See Where Your Money Goes
How to Separate Your Accounts
[Finance Tip] How to Build a Low-Burden Three-Account System
[Practice Exercise] Separate Your Accounts and Allocate Funds

Chapter 3: Step Two: Optimize Your Living Expenses
How Much of Your Salary Should You Save?
Don’t Save Blindly—Save Smart
[Finance Tip] Mastering Year-End Settlement: Smart Use of Credit and Debit Cards
[Practice Exercise] Use Financial Statements to See Your Assets and Liabilities at a Glance

Chapter 4: Step Three: Arrange Insurance
An Insurance Strategy for Just 100,000 Won Per Month
For New Professionals, Two Types of Insurance Are Enough
[Practice Exercise] Optimize Insurance to Increase Net Worth

Chapter 5: Step Four: Build an Emergency Fund
An Emergency Fund Is a Necessity, Not an Option
Practical Guide to Managing an Emergency Fund
[Finance Tip – Emergency Fund] Product Choices: Money Market Account vs. Spare-Change Account
[Practice Exercise] Build Your Emergency Fund in Stages

Chapter 6: Step Five: Use Loans Wisely
Do These First, Then Repay Loans
Can You Invest While Having Loans?
[Finance Tip] Credit Score Management: Small Habits That Affect Millions in Assets
[Finance Tip] Managing Multiple Loans: Priorities and Practical Tips
[Practice Exercise] Repay Loans to Increase Net Worth

Chapter 7: Step Six: Take Advantage of Government Financial Products
Government Support Products You Don’t Want to Miss
Youth Housing Savings Account: Your First Step Toward Buying a Home
Youth Future Savings: The Secret to Earning Up to 16% Annual Returns

Chapter 8: Step Seven: Start Investing
Ways to Grow Your Money Safely
[Finance Tip] Understanding the Basic Characteristics of Different Asset Classes
Start with ETFs to Diversify
[Finance Tip] ETF Tax Comparison: Essential Knowledge for Smart Investors
[Finance Tip] Using an ISA Account: Tax-Saving Strategies for Intermediate Investors
[Practice Exercise] Build Your Final Investment Portfolio

Part Three: Core Strategies for Sustainable Wealth Growth

Chapter 1: The Opportunity Cost of Wrong Choices
Increasing Your Own Value Is Faster Than Investment Returns
Build an Automated System, Not Reliance on Willpower