Forces you to keep your cost of living down. The trick is that when you get a job that pays well to not let it increase your cost of living. You could be compe

Forces you to keep your cost of living down. The trick is that when you get a job that pays well to not let it increase your cost of living. You could be compensated in other ways besides money. Maybe you get significant flexibility/freedom in the way you work or some other kind of perquisite. Generally though it's not wise to allow yourself to be underpaid. It will grate on you now or later.