C.I.T.O.K.A.T.E.

Investing is almost as good as paying off debt. The important thing is to not spend every dime, to live at a lifestyle 10-15% less than your total take-home pay. The advantage of investing is that it adds up. The advantage of paying off debt is that credit card interest is usually higher than almost any investment return one is likely to make (so in the long run it's a better investment). Either way, the trick is just to not spend every dime that comes into one's hands.