How do I make it work? I still live at home with my parents in an area that has a low cost of living to begin with. I supplement my income with freelance writing, though the take-home pay from it fluctuates significantly. I am incredibly lucky to be without student-loan or credit-card debt, but still there are times when I look at my bank account and cringe. I try to put away some money for the future — robo-investing is a huge help — but it’s not happening nearly as quickly as it once did. Nonetheless, I know firsthand that being a slave to the dollar sign will put you in a never-ending cycle of basing your happiness, future endeavors, and daily well-being on a sometimes-superficial indicator of success.