It's also good to remember that each $1000 you save in your 40s has a bigger impact than each $100 you save in your 20s. That $1000 may also be easier to afford

It's also good to remember that each $1000 you save in your 40s has a bigger impact than each $100 you save in your 20s. That $1000 may also be easier to afford. For many (most?) people, early career is the time when the financial pressure is the worst. Income is still low, while expenses are not much lower than later in life. You may have student loans to repay and mortgage down payment to save for, and you can't delay having kids indefinitely. It's one thing to know that each decade should double the real value of your savings, and it's another thing to afford saving any meaningful sum of money. The real choice comes when your income increases or your mandatory spending decreases. Do you then increase your discretionary spending, or do you save some of the extra money instead?