It took an MS for me, a BS for my partner, choosing to not adopt children, five years of saving, a minor inheritance from an unexpected death, and the housing market cratering due to the pandemic for us to be able to afford a house that we absolutely could not afford now without making 150% of our current income.

All it took was accruing nearly $100k in combined school loan debt, plus over three times that much in mortgage debt. That's freedom debt! Murica!