Totally agree. I said more people could benefit from living within their means recently and was told, not everyone can afford to live within their means - because of the rent.

But I was only able to live within my means for years for precisely the reasons you give. I lived with my parents. It wasn't nice. Dad was horrible. But I couldn't afford to move out. And sometimes, knowing your limits and living modestly works out better in the long run. Even if it means you cannot do everything you'd like to do right away.

Yeah, I know there are always exceptions, but most people have some choices about their lives. I still had to pay rent, but it was less than it would otherwise have been.