The obvious alternative is to move to somewhere more affordable than the potentially mismatched cost-of-living area you are in and the income you bring in... I

The obvious alternative is to move to somewhere more affordable than the potentially mismatched cost-of-living area you are in and the income you bring in... I don't think this argument holds much water because these online careers can be done from ANYWHERE and definitely do not require you to live in LA, NYC, SF, or even moderate cost of living areas like Atlanta, Nashville, Phoenix. Rent is going to cost SOMETHING everywhere until you own your own property (which isn't free either and requires maintenance and comes with taxes).