How do people make ends meet?

I’ve never been great at being able to accurately predict the future worth of my purchase. I don’t think it’s uncommon when you’re young and inexperienced. And I got a ton of shit for it too. My grandma always used to say “if you can’t afford something 100%, don’t buy it.”<br><br>But I don’t get how people can afford all the shit they have. A house, 2 cars, a bunch of nice furniture and appliances, to go along with the expenses of many kids. How do people do it? We’re not talking about the ultra rich, or celebrities.<br><br>I feel like I’m just a bit more money conscious than the average American. This is probably because I’ve been screwed over before by being a dumb young buyer. But I’m only 25. I don’t know what my future holds. Maybe I’ll come into more money or something. For now, I just kind of feel like this is my time to learn and gain more life experience.<br><br>I feel like these past few years I have been really grinding. I’ve been short on money, but I’ve also been able to set aside a pretty nice sized savings. And it’s not like I’m some irresponsible kid who spends his money on dumb shit. But damn, how do people have all the time and money in the world for all of life’s pleasures?