The age old Instant vs Delayed Gratification debate! ! I had the same considerations as you when I started saving in JC - do I travel now to see the world, or do I save up first? Here's my personal experience: 1. I valued saving money first This was largely driven by the compound interest - I wanted to save as much as possible, as early as possible. . 2. When I did travel on my own expense, I made sure to prioritize loved ones We can either travel alone, with friends or with family. For me, given the same budget, I would spend it with say, bringing my dad to a place he likes, as opposed to spending that for just myself or with friends. This was driven by: 1. Its good to bring parents to travel while they are still mobile 2. I come from a humble family, so most of the times we went to certain countries, it's the first time for them. I valued that much more than travelling with friends who might be island hopping in Bali every few months or so 3. Jobs with travel opportunities allow you to see the world as well I fully agree with you that it's key to broaden your horizons. I was fortunate (well, some of my friends would not prefer it) to have travelled to India, China, many parts of South-east Asia and the US before I was 25 because of my job. And as you would have guessed, business travel is largely paid for by the company. I actually valued travelling for business more than travelling for pleasure - in my opinion, it really allows you to see the country as it is for the locals, but not the curated tourist experience that one might experience if going there as a tourist. Some of the insights I have on India, I would not have gotten if I went there as a tourist with a group of friends who just wanted to go to the popular tourist sites.