4. Real People Save Up For Houses, Not Spring Break

In college, I never saved for anything unless it involved a vacation. I mean, why? Money was for spending, so I was going out! Again!

Here I am at my real job, making a real salary, and I'm mostly spending but I am saving a little bit. And I'm thinking where me and my fellow recently-graduated friends can go on our next trip: Cancun? Miami? VEGAS! The possibilities are endless.

Oh wait. Then I had a reality check at work today. *Real* people in the *real* world don't save up for trips to Vegas or Cancun. They save up for down payments on houses and condos.

Wait, what? A house? You mean, with a mortgage? But doesn't that mean you have to stay there...like...forever? In my world, the only people buying houses were parents! Since when do 26-year-olds buy houses?

This concept is beyond me. What if I want to move next year? or next month? Or next week?