We saved enough for a down payment on a house that would cost just slightly more in payments than the apartment. We were VERY happy to get a 13.6% first time home buyer's loan in Texas. The norm was north of 16% interest.
Somehow they squeezed three bedrooms and 1 1/2 baths into that little 986 square foot one car garage house. The space was less than our bedroom wing is now.
I managed to remodel and do a lot of repairs. We made 50% on that house, moved, bought another one and did the same thing. In not too long we were out of debt and started saving for the third house, had it built and paid cash for it. That was 40 years ago. We have never had a debt since. I've managed to always have good work and we have always lived below our means but comfortably. We have far too many things now.
We have never been on a cruise. We have taken some nice trips. My work has taken me around the world and I am happy with that since I would not want to go now. My wife has not been neglected since she has no interest in such things.
I began life after school with $500 and all I owned in the front seat and tool box of my pickup. We paid for our wedding and took care of ourselves. I wild not say it has been easy or hard. It has been just life. I am sure there are millions of people who have similar stories.
I am not sure where or when this happy land where you got out of high school, (where you of course fit in perfectly) walked into a great job with total security and bought a new car and home with your first paycheck was but it was not in the late 80s when I leaped out of the nest and apparently it was not in the 70s(?) when you did it either. I know it was not in the early 60s when my parents did it.
And lets not even talk about the grandparents. At least at 18 I did not have 7 younger siblings depending on me because our parents died in the Flu epidemic of 1919.
Life is hard. It has always been hard and every generation thinks they have it the worse because they didn't live through what the ones before did. No, we arrived after. When things were tight but a little better and by the time we had solid memories things were going ok.
Media also comes in for a bit of blame as they tend to show people with low end jobs that they rarely show up for able to make it with no problem.