[quote=Coronita]Put in time now or put in time later, there is no free lunch (well, at least most of the time). I keep hearing people refer to work while they are younger as ball and chain. The funny part is that ball and chain exists for a lot of people a lot longer who didn’t put the time up front, it’s just stretched out over a longer period of time, lol.[/quote] The rule of compound interest applies here too. So, the sooner you accrue your money and save, the less you’d have to work.