I worked for 10 years in between my BA and going back for my PhD. I did a masters in the middle which my employer basically paid for. I was in marketing and then I transitioned into a position where I was doing marketing research to help build up my research experience. I think it made my application stronger so I'm glad I did it. What field are you going into? If you're going to work, maybe seek out opportunities that will help you gain experience in the field you ultimately want to end up in.
Yes, I definitely saved up a lot. And I think it put me in a better financial situation than others in my cohort who are depending on stipends/RA/TA as their sole means of income.