I live in probably one of the top 10 wealthiest counties
in the US, but hey, I was raised here before all the elites moved in and made it that way, and intend to make the sacrifice to raise my kids in a good town, with the best schools etc. . I have a very modest old 4 bedroom house that was built around 1890 in a beautiful town. I do all my own work on the house when need be, and I am keeping it to a minimum these days. I fully take responsibiliy for my situation, hindsight is 20/20. When I bought my house in 2001, I was getting a healthy bonus every year as well, and since 9/11, that has gone bye-bye. I have had great raises each year, but it still gets more difficult to save anything.
Sounds like you’ve got a bit of challenge, I guess. I live in an armpit, but I like my armpit. My wife and I have never cared to have good “stuff” like most people, so I guess we are outliers. I didn’t mean to be critical of you personally; I just disagree with your assessment of the economy. Good luck.