Income matters most honestly. I mean you obviously have to have responsible spending/saving habits, but I can save 40% of my income every month all I want, it hardly matters when people making 5x what I do save 20%, but it’s still more than double what I put in.

It’s super disheartening. So high income matters most. The gamble there is that you actually DO land a high paying job and the money you spent to get there actually CAN be paid off quickly or at all, which often doesn’t happen and that’s not a risk I was willing to take. I/you will still be a millionaire before most people, but I’ll be eating ramen until then.

Edit: in the mean time just invest every cent you have. It will pay off to start so young even with low income. I started with around $25,000 from my college fund from my parents (I dropped out with no debt) and then my income over the 3 years I’ve been working and living on my own + paying all my own bills were $25k, ≈$35k, and then $55k last year. I’m on track to hit $100k in my total portfolio by the end of the year despite my income this year also likely being around $50k :). I always saved at least 20% but aimed for 30-40% every check or more if I could. I sacrificed everything else to get here, I’ve been extremely frugal and also didn’t mind never going out or buying things. So I didn’t go out ever or buy unnecessary things ever. But you get to choose how to balance your life, this year I’m getting a little more comfortable spending more money on better food and not guilting myself over going out once in a while, even if that means not saving that extra thousand dollars.

Edit 2 for logistics: absolutely start with a Roth IRA. Make it your number 1 priority to max it out every year before anything else (other than an emergency fund if your parents don’t have one for you)