I do not have a million dollars in the bank, nor do I have a particularly well paid job. I have a selection of different jobs all of which pay a reasonable amount on a fluctuating basis. The universe comes through eventually. I also don't have expensive tastes, I got a job where I can walk to work and I got a job that will pay me to be there even if I'm sneakily writing screenplays and entertaining myself.

Life doesn't tend to kick your ass as hard over here in the UK. We are getting a lot of inflation, but we don't need much in the way of health security. I've never really wanted to own property in the UK because it's the financial equivalent of doing your grocery shopping at Harrods or Tiffany's I guess in the US. I rent and I share a house - lots of creatives do and I'm very social so the communal life suits me down to the ground. I put extra money that I get from selling a script into stocks and bonds ISAs. I'd like to travel more, but it isn't a deal breaker for me - most places are a bit like places I've been in the UK but with different languages. I'd like to see some more mountains though.... we don't have a lot of those.

I do not worry too much about things like finance because a) there isn't much point and b) life is too short to spend time. I buy my clothes second hand because I don't agree with fast fashion, I drive a cheap car but only when absolutely necessary and I buy high quality food from a meal-prep place. That's my big expense. As long as I eat well and sleep well, everything else passes in and out. I'm pretty fortunate, I've tried my hand at a number of creative things and can usually get someone to give me money for running a workshop or doing something. I'm notoriously shit at doing stuff I don't want to do - and you have to pay me a lot of money if I'll even consider it. Time and money are interchangeable and in most instances I'd rather have the time.

Money, whilst nice when it is here, is overrated as a goal. It should be a byproduct - and it sounds like (for you at least) that's exactly what it was. I may change my opinion if I were to have a hatchling, but so far the Significant Other Penguin and I have elected not to bother. :o)