Can’t afford to rent? Buy a house where you will have REAL expenses. The gubmint will give you the money. sarc.
I bought a double-wide in 1991. I figured the square footage my family with wife and two kids needed and went from there. It was paid for in ten years vs a 30 year house mortgage. It will last me my lifetime I'm in my late 50's now. Also you can't predict things. Five years into the payments I became disabled. But we still managed to get the house paid off whereas a 30 year note on a regular home we likely would have lost it. The payments were considerably cheaper than rent. Now I'm in a 1200 square ft home living by myself. All the room I need and more at this time in my life.