I'm not bitter at all, I enjoy aviation but about half the people I fly with hate it. My finances are not limited by aviation, I'm actually pretty well off (which gets me an upper-middle class lifestyle in cali) and aviation provides me with a lot of lifestyle flexibility. I got there by following my own advice, although I didn't plan it that way. After being NPQed from military flying I had a military commitment to fulfill, which led to a lucrative non-aviation civilian career.

But I know too many guys who can't afford to travel, and sit around on the computer constantly trying to pick up extra flying so they can buy another case of top-ramen at costco. If that's what you aspire to, great, but most folks didn't plan on ending up that way.

IMO, in order to have a successful career in aviation (enjoyable with better than blue collar wages) you need to get on with a good major airline at a young age. That opportunity is looking pretty slim in the future, some folks have estimated that 10-15% of regional pilots will be able to move on. I'm not sure it will be quite that low, but it will be very competitive. Oil prices and artificial carbon limits stand to wreak havoc with an already weak and unstable airline industry.

I can enjoy it while it lasts, it won't kill my financial future. But if you are young with no outside income source, better approach this business very carefully. That's really what I'm suggesting, approach it in a manner which does not enslave you to a large debt. Leave yourself a way out at every step (hopefully you won't need it).

If you have a trust fund or eventual inheritance, then knock yourself out.