Mj Rodriguez is best known for portraying tough-loving house mother Blanca Evangelista on the FX series "Pose," and she channels Blanca's no-nonsense attitude toward her finances.
"I think it's important, especially for young people, to think where they want to invest their money," Rodriguez tells CNBC Select.
When she's not busy playing Blanca, Rodriguez is auditioning for new roles and speaking at summits. Most recently, she gave the keynote speech at George Washington University's fifth annual Diversity Summit. And earlier this year she became an Olay partner for the brand's 14 Day Skin Transformation campaign, marking the first time Olay signed a trans, Latinx spokesperson.
CNBC Select sat down with Rodriguez during Glamour's Women of the Year Summit to get the scoop on what she carries in her wallet and her best financial advice.
What's in Mj Rodriguez's wallet
Rodriguez keeps the contents of her wallet light carrying just her license and debit card. While she doesn't have any credit cards at the moment, she plans on opening a card soon.
Rodriguez acknowledges that having a credit card is important, and experts agree that the sooner you build credit, the better. If you don't have much credit history, consider becoming an authorized user on someone's credit card or opening your own credit card. Secured cards, such as the Discover it® Secured Credit Card, are great for beginners.
Mj Rodriguez's best financial advice
On "Pose," Rodriguez's character Blanca instills the values of hard work and responsibility into her children, and in real life, Rodriguez encourages the same behavior for people just beginning their careers.
"Anyone who is starting out and just finally got their first gig, don't spend all your money in one go," Rodriguez advises. "I did 'Rent' in 2011, and I didn't spend all of my money, but I did spend most of it on frivolous things that I could've probably saved on."
In today's digital-first world, it can be tempting to spend all your money on products you see on Instagram ads or the latest iPhone, but those things are often unnecessary. A better decision is to invest your money back into yourself.
"It's important that you save your money because you can invest it in the things that you want versus just spending it all on one thing," Rodriguez says.
Are you looking to build credit? Check out the best credit cards for building credit.
This story is part of CNBC Select's What's in Your Wallet series, which profiles celebrities and media personalities on the contents of their wallet and the best financial advice they've received. For interview recommendations, email allie.white@nbcuni.com.
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