I'm glad I inspired you – hopefully we can help other people realize the errors of their ways.

Thanks for the link!

It really is easy. Instead of realizing what we're doing wrong, the tendency is to overcompensate by feeling good about the little things we're doing.

But the problem is it's not an equal comparison. Yeah, it's great that I'm paying down debt and saving on my food cost. But I'm giving up TONS of money by skipping out on a Roth IRA.

Thanks for the comment…I hope you keep coming back!

I've been trying to prioritze my spending so that even if I don't need it, it at least maximizes my time or enjoyment.

Wow…that's a very flattering comment. You have a lot of faith in me, and I'm truly honored that you feel I think differently. I've always prided myself on being unique, so that's about as good of a compliment as I can think of.

You know what…you're right. If I'm true to myself and don't sell myself short, everything I'm doing now will just be a drop of the bucket. Everything I do now, I'm doing to learn and get better at. It's only up from here on out.

That being said, I'm still going to start an IRA ASAP. Even if I make so much money that it doesn't matter, I'm not going to pass up the chances that I have.

I'm going to take your advice, and just get started. That's the best thing I can do.

I've always been a big believer that rather than moping about the past, you're better off focusing your energy on something you can change – the future.

The best time to plant an Oak tree is 20 years ago…the second best time? Now.

I'll be opening an IRA very very very soon.

Great post. Sorry, but I am going to disagree with you.

I don't think saving money in an IRA will make a big difference in your finances at all. In the example, you compare the results over 30 years. $78,000? I think you can make $78,000,000,000 (yes, that's $78 billion) over the next 30 years. Why not? Gates did it. Buffett did it. Why not you?

The question is how. This pimp blog is a great start. Maybe you can monetize better. Or, find new ways of growing traffic. Or, write a book. Or, start another business. I think if you spend just 1 hour a day figuring out how to make more money each month, that will have a much bigger effect on your finances than saving $100/month.

People love the idea of saving $100 a month because it sounds easy. Everyone thinks they can do it. But most people won't. And, even if they do, it won't make a big difference in their finances.

Honestly, I think you have the potential to make as much money as you want. Because you think differently. How many people post their goals on their blog? How many people update the goal progress each month? How many people post about how they haven't followed through in setting up their Roth IRA?

Anyway, I guess the whole point of this is don't sell yourself short. Your blog is worth way more than $100/month, and it is 1,000 times better for your future. What you have already achieved and your potential for future earnings cannot compare to a Roth IRA. That would be like comparing the Pacific Ocean to a little glass of water.

At the end of the day, the only thing you can do is to learn from your mistakes, and keep pushing forward. Get that account opened and start contributing even if you can't afford to max it out every year. Compound interest/returns on SOMETHING is better than NOTHING.

Good luck!

It is never too late to start, but it is better to start sooner than later . . .