The Three biggest expenses that the average american pays are housing transportation and food if you can focus on the big three Then you don't have to worry about the small stuff. I am pretty hard line about don't take this loan from dad because for the cost of an extra two or three percentage points You get to preserve your autonomy and your independence. The control thing that that's what my my mind keeps going back to That history of threatening to take your car away Whenever he didn't like how you were acting Sure, that can fly when you're 16, but you're 26.