my tips would be: - get a friend who works for and ISP to give you free broadband internet - get your wife to get a second job - pay the minimum amount of rent you possibly can by living in a 1940's era house in the outer suburbs an hour's drive from work. - don't ever give your dad back any of the $12k he leant you when you bought your car. - use contraception in the early period of your marriage so you don't have two kids before you're ready... d-oh!! didn't quite make it on that one. - don't ever go on holidays so you won't be tempted to eat out while you're there. - if you have to holiday either a) camp but don't put any money in the box, or b) join your parent's in law at their cabin in the country. - try to eat as much meat as you can when you visit your parent's house for weekly family dinner... that way you don't have to buy it yourself. - likewise for beer. - have friends who are willing to give you their 'old' pc's when they upgrade. - get your sister to sign you up on the goverment-employee phone plan she has access to because she sometimes does work for a university. - NON-frequent trips to the ATM so you don't get charged $2 each time you withdraw money.