The one thing I did wrong in that list was to major in journalism. It was important to me to do something that served the world. I did not foresee that newspapers would implode just as I reached an age at which it would be very difficult to change careers. I've spent some time in the middle class, but mostly not. Taxes are not an issue for anyone who isn't well-off; I've never paid significant income taxes because I've never made a lot of money. And I didn't start saving money before I was 30 because it took everything I had to cover basic necessities. If I were not married (and he makes a modest wage) and if I were not very thrifty, I suppose I'd have to get multiple roommates to survive, and still might end up homeless. I do well on Medium, but not enough to live on.