I agree. Thrift and savings is what we want to teach our children. If they can exercise self-restraint, they will have the resources to take advantage of the opportunities life grants them.
When I first started out, I lived pretty frugally. I never bought into all the stuff other people were telling me I could afford. Then when it came time to buy a house, I had a big chunk of change to put down on it. The rest is history.
The other thing this guy did right is he (apparently) made a list of his goals. That may not seem like a big deal, but it is something most people don’t bother to do. I have found that having a list of things to accomplish is a huge asset in actually making those things happen. I can’t prove it, but I think keeping things are your mental radar screen helps you work toward it (both consciously and subconsciously) and stay directed.