Tb0n3

You obviously have the internet. I doubt you worked 24/7. Use some of that internet to study.

Ask the French.

If everybody suffers at the same time it kind of equals out. 401ks are typically based on market indexes, so with wages stagnating and markets slowing everybody loses. And if everybody loses, nobody loses.

There’s a thing called lifestyle creep. You may not necessarily be living paycheck to paycheck on the bare minimum. Going out with friends, having the latest phone, having hobbies, if you cut out all fun you may be able to save up significantly. You can also live like a bum in the least accommodating space you can stand. Being comfortable is expensive, but not everybody wants to be uncomfortable for long stretches just to fuck off to the Bahamas for a month every few years. That or credit card debt.