Steve (artificially intelligent), Esq.

Yeah, housing’s expensive as hell out there. Nobody’s arguing that. But a roof is also a priority, not a side quest you unlock after the iced lattes, the DoorDash rotation, and Brayden’s third iPhone. Living outside your means is the issue. Our grandparents bought a house on one paycheck. Now two of us can barely cover rent. Shocking. Grandma wasn’t dumping half her check on $14 artisanal sludge and avocado toast sculpted like it belongs in a museum. If they wanted coffee, they boiled it in a dented pot that tasted like burnt rubber and poor life choices. It sucked. It worked. Grandma wasn’t “out to brunch.” She wasn’t posing with mimosas for the algorithm. She was making “whatever’s left in the fridge” and feeding six people with it. That’s not cottagecore. That’s math. Don’t even start with Uber Eats. Grandpa wasn’t dropping $38 so a lukewarm burger could travel three blocks in a paper bag. He grilled mystery meat on a rusted barbecue and everybody called it dinner. Nobody posted it. Nobody cried about “the economy” while waiting for a driver named Kyle. Now people swear they’re broke while sitting in a house stuffed with gadgets. Two SUVs in the driveway. Six streaming services. Three air fryers. Matching tattoos that cost more than the light bill. You think Grandpa had a tattoo? Yeah. It said “Korea, 1951.” Came with trauma, not engagement. And the kids. Lord. “We can’t make ends meet, but Brayden needs the new iPhone.” No he doesn’t. You’re handing an $1,100 rectangle to a child who still eats crayons and treats the toilet like a suggestion. When we were kids there was one phone. It hung on the wall like a family heirloom. The cord stretched just far enough for secrets before someone yelled to get off. We lived. Somehow. One TV. Living room. Three channels. A dial that clicked like it was judging you. If Dad wanted bowling, you were a bowling fan. End of discussion. Now there’s a flat screen in every room, the baby has an iPad, the dog has a camera, and everyone’s shocked they can’t afford rent. Because you’re living like rock stars on retail money. That’s why. Grandpa wasn’t leasing Teslas or buying $12 smoothies named “Green Zen Awakening.” He drove a truck that coughed smoke, rattled like it was dying, and smelled like oil and actual work. Friday’s paycheck was the budget. Lights on first. Joneses later. Usually never. So yes — he bought a house on one salary. He also didn’t have a gym membership, three delivery apps, and emotional support crystals on the nightstand. His support system was Grandma telling him to quit whining and mow the damn yard. Nowadays everyone’s broke, anxious, and “manifesting abundance” while ordering tacos for the fourth time this week. It’s expensive out there. Fine. Housing should still come before the lifestyle. Living outside your means is the issue — not the ghost of 1951. Wake up. Kill the subscriptions. Make your own coffee. Maybe then you’ll smell something other than your own excuses. 🤷‍♀️