re: Paying off everything off while young

Look at interest rates.

If any debt is costing you more than 8%, pay it off immediately.

Invest the rest in a buy and hold investment strategy in an index fund or a low cost actively managed one.

Under the current circumstances, it is still fairly adventagous to have secured debt in the form of housing, due to both the low interest rates and the tax write offs it provides.

So if you are looking at a house, and plan on being there for at least 8 years or so, go ahead and buy one putting down the minimum and investing the rest of the cash flow.

As interest rates increase, look to increase principal payments.