Yes.. It happen to me. You need to learn that by simply working a job is not going to get you ahead within life. Simply having your money within a bank is not going to keep your funds up with inflation.

You need to invest your money

Vanguard total stock market index fund, Vanguard Europe index, Vanguard Roth IRA and a 401K from your place of employment is the best advice that I can give to you. Dollar cost average your money and invest long term is the way to create wealth.

Best of Luck ....

Can you define what "wisely" means?

Once you've done that, can you define what "well off" means? Everybody will have their own metric for this.

Yes, but the more you have to start off, the better the prospects.

Yes.

If your stocks go up yes. If your stocks go down then no.

Oh yea....Sure.

Just look at me. When I left school, I had nothing........Now I owe thousands !