This^. It’s called living within your means.
IMO, it’s more difficult for heavy duty financial aid kids AFTER college when balancing a budget, trying to maintain a certain standard of living, seeing truly great disparity between one’s choices and those with parental support, etc etc .
It’s always tougher without help but ultimately the ability to manage what income and bills one gets is more important than the income unless there is a tremendous source there. I know broke kids who are making 6 figures AND getting parental support. It’s never enough money.
Then , I remember the days when a car repair, or dental work, new glasses were ever so dreaded. It took a while to accumulate enough of savings to deal with things that happen that cost a lot.
For kids whose families are going after them for money, as in that NYT story, well… some sort of financial decision had to be made in terms of what can be budgeted. I always had my parents in mind when I put short term savings away
Because any visiting them, or them visiting me, was going to have to come from my account, and I did want to send a little extra occasionally. If they had had truly desperate need, I would not have been able to make it work financially, after college, let alone during