Awesome strategy, Dragoncar!,
"It's 100% of my paycheck. So (almost) 100% of my first few paychecks goes to my 401k until it's maxed out. I have enough cash to cover my relatively low expenses."
Fucking brilliant!
I began each year with specific dollar amounts for federal and state taxes withheld from each paycheck until I reached the amount owed the previous year, then I shut off the tap completely. The first few years, it always generated phone calls and you-can't-do-thats. Eventually they got used to my "shenanigans". Now I'm retired (early, but at 54, alas, not extreme). Wonder if they'll miss me. I doubt that anyone learned from my example, but I don't care, I'm outta there...
Had I frontloaded as you suggest, I'm sure I would have been out of there a lot sooner. I hope a lot of people read your comment and decide to follow in your brilliant footsteps, DC.