[Cass]

It's certainly easier to make an extra couple thousand by asking for a raise than by scrimping on lattes, but I'd argue that a frugal mindset is every bit as important. Unfortunately, spending every cent of $200,000 a year is exactly as easy as spending every cent of $50,000. There are plenty of people whose approach to financial management is to simply... spend their money. Doesn't matter whether that's a little bit of money or lots of money. If they make 50,000 a year, they spend 50,000. If they make 200,000, they spend 200,000. If they come into an inheritance, they spend the inheritance till it's gone.

I'm a student who's never had a full-time job in her life, and I have more money in savings than many well-paid professionals I know, simply because I actually put money into savings.