rescue37, let’s put yeshivas and tuition aside for the moment and lets just talk about luxury vs necessity. Maybe you should take another look at what you are saying. This is a totally spoiled generation, I had four kids and my oldest was 9 and I had to go back to work for my husband and the time when I first got cleaning help. Do you get that? A 4 bedroom home on 4 floors, cooking and cleaning and even laundry! Yup, I didn’t even send shirts to the cleaners I ironed and starched them all myself. And I worked at my daughter’s school to pay off tuition when i had all three of them in school. I even did rope chains and sheitels in my home to help with expenses.
Today B”H, I am in a different matzav, but when I had to, yes we ate mostly chicken and not meat. Meat was a luxury. Even OJ was a luxury. We bought things on sale and watched every penny. We didn’t use paper plates or plastic cups, I washed the dishes. I even hung out laundry to dry to save on the electric for the dryer. And who cared about designer labels when you were happy to even have clothes that fit your child properly and be able to afford to buy something new when they needed it. We recycled our children’s clothing among our brothers and sisters and we got them back when we needed them. Understand that when you must you do without! AND you do put your priorities in order!
I am all for Dan L’kaf zchus and no one should be judging or peeking into yenem’s windows, but if you discuss luxury vs necessity know what you are talking about.