[I made this comment in Drew’s post about why not being rich sucks in America.  Here are some ways to make not being rich a little easier on yourself.  It’s been edited somewhat from its original version.]

If you’re in high school, here are four steps you can take to make your future a little less horrifying:

1. Go to college on the cheap. If you’re smart, you can get a full ride to a lot of different schools. Arizona State gave me a full ride and I didn’t even apply. You may think dipshit private school is the best route to success, but those student loans, which seem like Monopoly money when you borrow them, become all too real when you graduate. Nobody will give a shit where you went to school five years after you get your degree, and this has been borne out empirically. Anecdotally, I know a 27-year-old millionaire who barely graduated from art school, and plenty of Ivy League washouts.

Still, I highly advise going away to college.  It’s your only chance to have four years of wild parties, casual sex and minimal consequences.

2. Start saving as soon as you graduate. If you do step one, hopefully your student loans won’t be too bad. Stay current on paying those back, then start saving as much as you can. Max out your Roth IRA/401(k) As you know, you have to pay an income tax, which is either a necessary part of being part of a modern regulatory state (for Democrats) or socialism (for Republicans). Well, the IRS will let you stash some of your pre-tax income away into a savings account, which can then build up tax-free over time. Compound interest is fucking sweet, and if you max out your Roth IRA/401(k) you can retire early.

And max out your Roth IRA/401(k) BEFORE you have kids, because once that happens you’ll need that money for them. Kids take all your fucking money.  If you want to have kids, of course.  Not having kids certainly makes life easy.

3. Don’t get divorced. Getting divorced is another great way to end up broke. Live with a girl for a year before you propose to her.

4. Don’t spend money on things. Things won’t make you happy. Status won’t make you happy. A car won’t make you happy, and it’s the worst investment you can make with your money.  Buy used; Carfax is the shit. 

But, great experiences will make you happy. A road trip to an SEC football game with your college friends will be cheaper and way more fun than a $1000 TV.  If you have money left over, make sure you use it to spend time with friends or family.

Obviously, not everyone can follow this advice to a T, but it’s a good start to make it so that, even if you’re not rich, you’re not miserable.