The trick is to live below your means, but specifically work towards getting rid of bills/loans.
Fuck car payments/new cars, buy a reliable old used car in cash.
Yes you can offer a nicer apartment/house/whatever, but if you need to get a loan/pay monthly for it then that shit is stupid.
My goal in life is to eliminate all unnecessary bills, that shit causes stress. If i loose my job and the only thing i need to pay for is just food/electricity then who cares. Even if i do live in a small paid for place that is below what i could get a mortgage for/afford.... One of the reasons I fucked off from the USA/Cali to buy property in a cheaper country