The cost of waiting just 5 years to start investing.

Same $1,000 per month. Same 10% ROI. Same 25 years.
Start now: $1.3M
Wait 5 years: $762K
Cost of waiting: $546K gone forever.
"Once I pay off my car I will start investing."
That 5 year delay just cost you over half a million dollars.
Now flip it to 20% ROI with the options layer.
10% ROI over 25 years: $1.2M
20% ROI over 25 years: $5.7M
Same contributions. Same time horizon.
Compounding does the rest.
You only have to get rich once.
Start now.
Every year you wait is compounding that is gone forever.
There is no catching up.