The concept that money is required for investments that save money generalizes to nearly everything. Buying groceries in bulk is cheaper, but requires more money at once. Preventative maintenance on your car can be much cheaper than only repairing things once they break. If you own a home in a place that sees snow, insulation and oil/gas heating (as opposed to electrical heating) can save lots amounts of money, but are expensive to get.

If you don't have any money right now you are often forced to make decisions that cost you more money later, which sets up a vicious circle.