Very interesting article, and there are some things I can take away from it, but this type of extreme living is unrealistic for a guy, his wife, and thier 3 small children. Especially when one is limited by a mortgage on a house that won't sell, a car payment, gas, car insurance, life insurance, medical insurance, medical bills, clothing for 5, eating for 5, , electricity for 5, water for 5. Yes there are things I can do to cut my food bill, electricity bill, clothing, and water bill, but in the grand scheme of things this does not amount to much. This cut would be a small percentage in the overall of money going out.
This dude lived in a dorm on grant money while working on a Phd.
I am talking about going to med school on capped out loans, with fixed debts/bills that nothing can be done about. If I was single I don't see doing what he did as so extreme.
Even If I did sell my house and found a place for my family that was within the COA allotment for rent, and I paid my car off, I still could not live within the COA. Medical insurance would eat me alive for 40% of my living expenses, then my rent, then my gas. Then how do I pay for water? electricity?...Then what do I eat? How do I buy clothes? My kid needs braces? I'm having unexplained car troubles? I have medical bills? Renters/Life/Car Insurance? etc...etc...etc...
Sorry If I seem to be venting/rambling, I know these things can be done, but I am just saying: More people takes more money. Period.