That's too simple. The statement is not nuanced enough and it is unfortunately only a necessary condition. This type of advice gave me a hard time for a couple

That's too simple. The statement is not nuanced enough and it is unfortunately only a necessary condition. This type of advice gave me a hard time for a couple of years -- when I was rather clueless and young. It's not a sufficient condition: I don't need make-up, yet the best time searching for it is never. It's not a nuanced statement: I don't need a car now. Even if I could get a cheap car, it would be extra baggage and a distraction. I don't need it. It's not that your advice is nonsense, I never said that ;) Research on the poor shows that because they need money, they get stressed. I think the same applies for: funding, a job and a partner. It adds stress, which in turn, lowers one's decision ability. I presume you were hinting at this. But then the statement doesn't become: "the best time to search for x is when you don't need it." It should be: "the best time to search for x is when you don't need it right now." Perhaps still a bit unnuanced -- improvements are welcome -- but your examples (funding, job and partner) implies that you'd need it at a later stage. Or perhaps better said, that is when it gets interesting. I probably can find the best make-up deal in town, because I don't need it. I also couldn't care less. Additions and changes are welcome.