[buckbova]

So the person who lives on a several acre lot with a 4000 sq ft house, running their own business is asleep and the person in a 600 sq ft loft crammed in a city block with thousands of others is wide awake?

The world sure is upside down.

[a_c_s]

As I see it, the size of the dwelling is irrelevant: plenty of americans with high salaries still manage to live paycheck-to-paycheck.

If somebody has a huge house, a high salary and 3 cars but spends all of their money every month, has no savings/emergency fund and aren't saving for retirement then they are anything but wide awake. Rather, they are sleepwalking through consumerism (just like most of their neighbors, friends and family).

[buckbova]

Cars are a huge waste of money. But home ownership can be a incredible wealth building tool with tax benefits.