Letters to the Editor
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Sacrifice
That word is conspicuously absent from today's vocabulary. No American wants to be uncomfortable, even a little bit, even for just a little while. Our ridiculous addiction to convenience and instant gratification is why people refuse to make significant sacrifices for intangible, yet vastly more worthwhile goals -- what today we call "credit score" people used to call "reliability."
I'm not referring to catastrophic events that hurl people into staggering debt. I'm talking about a sustained commitment to living with integrity. Don't spend what you don't have. Learn to cook at home. Go to the library. Use things until they wear out, not until you're tired of them. Stop buying presents you can't afford -- volunteer your time instead. Be honest about the difference between what you want and what you need.
And consider moving out of the city for a while. Even having a roommate in NYC is still expensive. Instead, get a roommate and a part-time job in a much cheaper town outside of the city. You could still live close enough to take the train when you need to. Besides, what's so great about living in New York if you can't afford it or resist the temptations that hurl you into debt?