I'm originally from Macau, China, and I grew up in a middle-class household, where my parents managed their finances carefully in order to support my American tuition on their joint income. For as long as I could remember, my mother drilled into my head the importance of living frugally: At least 30% of my income should always go directly into my savings, and my rent should be as low as humanly possible, so I'd have money to spare on dining out, school expenses, or summer travel. Being extremely careful with my money — and sensitive to how much I can be saving with different lifestyle sacrifices — was the only way I knew how to live when I left home at 17.