First job, first car, first apartment: The smartest things to do with your money in your 20s

"Everything and everyone around you is fighting for your money, and you have to be the one who makes the decision of whether you're going to give them the money or keep it for yourself," Kathleen Hastings, CFP and portfolio manager at FBB Capital Partners in Bethesda, Maryland, told Business Insider. "It's all you."

While you're figuring out that balance, your 20s are full of exciting - and expensive - milestones, from renting your first place to starting your first full-time job.

How do you juggle those costs with planning for your future? Everyone's situation and needs are different, but read on to find out the first, smartest thing to do with your money in five common situations you might face in your 20s.

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