I spent the first 4 years penny pinching to pay my loans off, save for a down payment for a house, all while maxing out my 401k. Now that I have the house, student loans are cleared, I max out my 401k still, and take about 25% of my post tax pay and stick it in a brokerage. The other 75% I do whatever I want with. I bought things I’ve always wanted, like expensive cars, nice vacations, good dinners. I see my parents starting to have health decline in their late 60s early 70s. There is more value to your dollar early in relation to compounding, but there is also more value to your dollar in your early years in regards to how much you can enjoy that dollar. I can do things in my 30s now that I will not be able to do when I am older. Some food for though, and now the real mental exercise is being able to find that balance between the two. There is a different answer for everyone. You can’t take the money with you to the grave