A lot of us don't bank roll. You make a lot more at 21 than a lot of us do now. However, we all make choices. I passed on my potential to be a doctor or engineer to be firefighter. I had the grades but wanted a family. I could have had a hull at 21 making $10k/yr (I earned scholarships) but I started saving for a house when I started working at 14.
I love everything mechanical on my day off. My mom was talking to me this week about my potential. However, I saved or improved several lives since I started. Example, I cared for a lady the other day that I resuscitated 5 years ago and 4.5 of those years have been very happy and healthy. I had my first field delivery 3 months ago and they brought that little girl to see us a month later. I have my own 2mo little girl now. I considered changing careers, but building cars wouldn't give me the joy my current job does.
I can afford what I afford by making good financial decisions, buying used and turning my own wrenches.
Actually, that need to balance budgets and do my work has contributed substantially to my skills in rescue and extrication, and as a pump operator. Believe it or not, Jet skis facilitates a learning for me that translates to real life job skills that positively impact the lives of the people a serve. I offer to bring new firefighters to the lake as a fun way to teach pump dynamics and flow.