Dave's advice is basically put your money in index funds and wait for the 7% interest to give you a million dollars. And you should be spending zero money on anything else, healthcare? Don't get sick. Car? Buy a used car that doesn't have any issues (how does one find this mythical cheap car that doesn't have any issues? He never specified) Food? You can live off a 500 calorie diet for a few years right? The important thing is to sacrifice every ounce of joy you might have, and prepare for when you have the money saved and in your fifties you can waste that money on the most horrible Carribean cruise experiences of your life.