Don't listen to them, it is not your fault. Young middle class workers have always struggled. In the 80's is was common to car pool because young families only had one car but either both spouses worked or a stay at home spouse wanted to have the car at home if they could and gas was expensive so even if you had two cars you might still car pool. A 4-person carpool meant that you only drove one week a month and maybe someone would drive your week if you paid for gas plus a little. Some of us road motorcycles so our spouse could have the car, and we are not talking big powerful motorcycles. If you are struggling it is not necessarily because you did something wrong. Young middle class has always been a bit of a struggle, when I was growing up young working-class families had it a bit easier because they did not have student loans and got paid time and a half for over time and double time on weekends and holidays. Mechanics my age were taking home bigger paychecks and did not have student loan payments, but they worked every hour of over time they could get. I tried to work as little overtime as possible because it was only on special occasions that I would get paid for it but if you did not work at least 5 hours of free overtime each week your performance appraisal would reflect your lack of dedication.

Most of us brought lunch to work to save money. There was no expensive coffee to buy, that was not yet a thing, coffee was a dime or all you could drink for a buck a week. All thru college and part of my first year out of college I did not have a TV or a phone. Until I got a few months' pay I did not have any money in the bank to speak of.

TEK