Plenty of people go to grad school on limited means and still manage to live in a heated, watered apartment. IMHO this whole exercise seems more like an attempt to escape consumerism (in whatever way the author has defined it), more than it is about being able to afford education.
Exactly our point. He's going to great lengths to avoid any debt, which in this society is a bit masochistic. A little debt for your future isn't going to kill you.
No, I didn't mean that at all. Loans exist for a reason. If he wants to be ultra-frugal, that's fine, but it's not necessary. Do you really believe taking a loan out for something as important as school is that terrible?
Uh, I think you mean "instead of going to graduate school."