Like anything, it's not about the game it's about the practice so you have muscle memory to make the right decision in the game without thinking.If you look at anyone at the top of their field they have some type of coach and/or mentor, no brainer in my opinion. 

I would be the muscle and they are the $.  

Have to look good driving to the pay day loan store. yeah, people in mass generally make AWFUL financial decisions, even in the face of good advice. so if you find out what most people are doing and do the opposite, you'll probably end up in really good shape ;) paying interest on a high depreciation luxury is worse than buying a house in market mania and speculating that it will appreciate to no end. the house MIGHT appreciate, but the car is DEFINITELY going to be worth nothing in 8 years. buying a car should be an effort in minimizing the damage for the necessity of driving.

The media however is cooking up stories about a mass migration of some sorts.

I'm not foreign to proving the masses wrong.

Texas definitely seems to be where the growth is at...here are two articles about the mass exodus of companies from California to other states.

We have been working hard to GTFO since that realization, and we're succeeding, flexing our frugality muscles intelligently.To get back to the car payment, my wife and I bought three RAV4s in six years, switching them out like furnace filters.

Look to house hack in central mass(worcester, Fitchburg, Leominster) with a 3.5 down FHA.

Would like to buy a 4 plex in Mass for 250,000.

It's not at all easy for the masses of men and women out there to choose to make $100K a year and live on $40K.