On the third day of Think Outside the Cell Week, co-facilitators Jose Soltero and Lamar Sanchez discussed the importance of planning and budgeting, both while in prison and after returning home. Too often, they said, people prefer instant gratification, which leads them to live from paycheck to paycheck and to spend rather than invest and save for the future.

This question was posed to the audience to illustrate the positive impact of delaying gratification rather than seeking it immediately: If you were offered $500,000 up front or the proceeds from one penny compounded at 100 percent interest daily after 31 days, which would you choose? While the $500,000 is tempting, one penny at 100 percent interest at the end of 31 days would bring you more than $10 million. With compound interest, your money earns money.