Growing up, Dad worked 3 jobs to pay the bills. On more than 1 occasion, I was sent to go pay a utility bill after the utility was shut off. My first experience

Growing up, Dad worked 3 jobs to pay the bills. On more than 1 occasion, I was sent to go pay a utility bill after the utility was shut off. My first experience driving was at 13 to haul our garbage up to the school dumpster on Sunday nights because we didn't pay our bill. The car was constantly breaking down. With no garage, I spent more that 1 weekend on my back in the dirt, even in January, helping Dad fix it. Vacations? Ha! Although I live modestly now, I have a decent paying job and suffer from none of those things. Car is 12 year old, mostly runs OK, and there is money reserved for emergencies like when a an oil line broke last month. All bills are paid on time, automatically, each month. I try to keep a minimum 2k reserve for emergencies. I am out of the debt spiral. Our modest condo will be paid off in 4 years. I have no great ambition to be wealthy, just secure. Lots of people I know, and people here on HN, have more to show for their lives. But I'm doing better than I did growing up, and to me, that is satisfying.