What are some good financial tips for a young enlisted US Army soldier?

There's a lot of good advice here for you. What I taught my son is to have only one credit card for emergencies. But if you are getting one make sure it doesn't have an annual fee and if you do use it more often than an emergency then make sure you have money to pay it off. It's okay to use the banks money for 30 days, but when it's do pay it off in full. Besides having a Roth TSP, you should take 10% of your pay each pay day and put it in some kind of savings like a money market savings so you can withdraw it easy, but get paid a higher interest rate. This 10% savings would just be for creating an emergency fund. If possible don't use regular big banks for anything, to many fees. Try getting into a credit union with free checking, debit card (for ATM), better interest rates for money market savings. The main thing is to pay cash for everything. If you can pay cash for it then you don't need it or save the money for it. Don't end up owing anyone or thing, being debt free is the quickest way to be financially free in the future. At less this is what I taught my son, he owes no one and has a credit score of 790 and has about $60,000 saved and he's just turned 25. Just my opinion along with a lot of other good advice here to improve your financial stability.

1. Save your money. Set up a savings account and put away at least 6 months' expenses.
2. Don't buy a bunch of stuff on credit. You can get into trouble quickly with credit cards.
3. Don't buy a car, a stereo or other expensive things you cannot afford to buy with cash.
4. Learn about money and investing. Look into the base library, college courses and on-line.
5. Get a college degree, and follow up to earn a Master's degree if you can. You will earn a LOT more money in your life with an advanced degree. Cyber security, Business, Computer Science, and Operations Research degrees will pay HUGE dividends.

+1 all that and watch your credit rating. Additionally, watch your credit rating!

Two things: (IDK if there is an plan like this or name of plans)
1) Take part of your monthly pay and save it in a bank account near where you grew up at. At least $50 per month. You can go way higher too. Just start saving. Use autopay or deferred deposit to direct a portion of your pay to that bank account. Then do not touch this money. Take 50% of your sign up or re-signing bonus and put into this account. Then do not touch this money. Forgetting you have this account is a good thing. Just let it build over the years.
2) Sign up for Credit Karma. Add in all accounts including the one above.

Now you are saving money, your credit score will start to go up. At some point, your score will stop going up. Then get a small loan or CC and spend a little. It's important it's a little. $500 loan or debit on a credit card. Pay it off. One or two months. Then watch your Credit Score go up for about 6 months. Getting out of the first 4 years of service with a credit score above 750 is simple. You have college you can attend while in service. Get your degree. Online degrees are good now. Talk to your counselors to avoid deployment times. Some schools will temporarily suspend your classes while on short deployments. Just need to ask before signing up. Know this: Your GI Bill will not get you a degree. Having your Associates by the time of your first term is up will get you your degree.

Once you followed this saving plan for 20 years, pay cash for your first home. Yes. You can do that now. Then down payment on a nice car that will last for 10 or more years. Enjoy your life and look back at everything you have done in the service. You can always stay in the service longer than 20 years. But that is totally your choice now. Having choices is a good thing.

-From day one, invest at lease 10- 15% into TSP. Get your account info and get your investments out of the G fund and into the three equity funds (C,S,I). Do this, and you will be on a path of becoming a millionaire by 60-65 with a 10% rate of return.

- Stay away from car dealerships offering "great military specials" Take leadership; TAKE LEADERSHIP That truly cares (even if it is the PSG) with you to shop for a vehicle.
- Don't try to win the popularity contest with cars/clothes/every electronic out there, etc..

Believe it or not, even as a private, You have the potential to build wealth that future you will look back on and be thankful you didn't buy that new 2018 Challenger just to turn a few heads of people you don't know at the red light.

- Seek out the civilian financial advisor embedded with your unit, or go to whichever one that your post provides.

Lastly, observe those who give you advice. Rank does not make you wise, age does not make you "experienced" and being the "cool guy" does not make you wealthy. You will see a lot of guys/girls giving bad advice, just thank them for their time and be conscious enough to know they are probably not the best person to take financial advice from.

Never put expendables (Food, Drinks, Gas) on credit cards. Only use credit for things you could sell back if you get into a scrape.

One tip is to always pay yourself first. Being a young soldier new to the military , it is imperative that you pay yourself. You do all the work to turn around and pay other people or agencies what you have worked hard for. As previously suggested:
1. max out your TSP contributions (as much as you can reasonably afford to.
2. start an allotment for the 100 dollars that you don't get anyway for your college fund and continue to sock it away. I am old school hopefully that hasn't changed.
3 Do Not over spend. Live within your means or less. Having all the new hotness gadgets that are out there will make you feel good now but your wallet and bank account will feel the pain.

First and foremost, sit down and make out a realistic budget. how much do you (Net) every month, that is after taxes and other deductions are made. Then calculate how much of your money is going out, cell phone, internet, etc. Once you figure out what you have left over then you can see what you will have to save and/or invest for your future.

I see a lot of responses downing credit cards, and I have to say while some people are idiots CC are the best tool for building credit when used properly. I know a guy that has over 100 cards.what does that mean, well that bank financed car at 29.99% he puts it on a 6% card. be responsible with it and they are fine. never use them for intangibles ie food gas etc you will be paying interest on something you no longer have. have a car payment due? pay with CC and then immediately send said payment to card holder. and keep your balance under 30% of your limit
never accept a card that charges a fees. and if bad credit or starting out goto your bank and apply for a secured card with 500 cash

25 years ago I was stationed with a guy that only kept $25 of every check, he invested the rest. today he is a millionaire and im still working....but hey I have great bar stories

Pay yourself FIRST...every payday put 10% of your check into an account that you can't readily get to. As this payday savings account grows look for high yield long term CD's to build towards your retirement or muster out date. If you have access to TSP put an amount equal to at least the gov't matching amount...double it if you can.