![Super Bowl 58 halftime performer Usher says his pre-show routine starts first thing in the morning](https://media.nbcsandiego.com/2024/02/107370805-1707403354141-gettyimages-531718428-637208229MB00011_Hands_Of_S.jpeg?quality=85&strip=all&resize=320%2C180)
In 1994, at just 15 years old, Usher Raymond IV, more commonly known as Usher, rose to fame after releasing his first album.
Earning more money than most teens, Raymond could have easily splurged on expensive things like clothes and jewelry, but he says he chose a different path.
"Surprisingly, I was never frivolous with my spending," Raymond tells CNBC Make It. "It wasn't until my latter years that I decided to buy cars and jewelry and things that would obviously depreciate."
Raymond admits that throughout his career as a musician and performer he's had "high valleys and low peaks" financially, but says he was able to use those moments to reflect on how to approach his spending in a healthy way.
Get top local stories in San Diego delivered to you every morning. Sign up for NBC San Diego's News Headlines newsletter.
Over the years, he's focused on "creating a healthy portfolio and having enough time to prioritize my future and create what I'm hoping will be generational wealth."
His hope is that his children will follow in his footsteps and do the same.
But Raymond doesn't only want to help his own children become more financially literate. He's also teaching other kids about "what it is to be prepared and understand how to deal with money and what money is and how to make it work for you," he says.
Money Report
His nonprofit organization, Usher's New Look, which he founded in 1999, serves as mentorship program to aid students along their journeys throughout high school and college. There's a major focus on financial literacy for the youth that his organization serves.
"I had the right idea when I was a kid. Somewhere along the lines, I began to kind of just have fun," Raymond says.
"I'm always trying my hardest to figure out the best solution to be able to help those people whom I know could benefit from what access I had."
Want to stop worrying about money? Sign up for CNBC's new online course Achieve Financial Wellness: Be Happier, Wealthier & More Financially Secure. We'll teach you the psychology of money, how to manage your stress and create healthy habits, and simple ways to boost your savings, get out of debt and invest for the future. Start today and use code EARLYBIRD for an introductory discount of 30% off through September 2, 2024.
Plus, sign up for CNBC Make It's newsletter to get tips and tricks for success at work, with money and in life.