You could also spend a bit of time learning about structuring a business to reduce taxes. In a moderate US state, and a bit of up-front planning, on $200k in g

You could also spend a bit of time learning about structuring a business to reduce taxes. In a moderate US state, and a bit of up-front planning, on $200k in gross receipts you can likely pay 10-15% in combined taxes (state/federal income, fica, etc). It would still mean you should not spend more than you earn, be moderately frugal, and sock away and invest what you can. But being able to put away $50k-$100k for a few years in a row is a gigantic leg up for most people in most areas.