It's all about choices. I can't make other people's choices for them, and I know different people have different priorities. I don't think it is that people can't afford to marry, but rather they don't WANT to marry at an early age.
You don't have to have a $200,000 house and high utility bills and property taxes. You don't have to have the latest gadgets. I need internet, but I don't need an Iphone. Who does, really?
People are stressed out, I think, because of poor choices. People should avoid debt as much as possible, live within their means. I often feel VERY POOR, and I do without a lot of what I WANT, but I honestly say that I have more than I NEED. I have plenty of food in my cupboards and I do not go hungry. I can't afford a lot of things I would LIKE to eat, but I have plenty of stuff I CAN eat. Eating out is very expensive. But preparing food at home and cleaning up the kitchen afterwards takes time and energy. Time really isn't a good argument...it takes time to go to restaurants and wait on your food and drive home. BUT, it often seems easier. If more homes had two-parent families, with one parent being a full-time homemaker, life would be easier. Not everyone wants that kind of lifestyle, and it seems foreign to many, but it is a better, less stressful way to live for most people, I think. But so few people feel like they can't even try. Housing seems expensive, food, transportation, etc. and don't even mention healthcare! I do believe that if people had less stressful lives, healthier lifestyle habits, and happy relationships, there would be DRASTICALLY less health problems, especially in people under 80 years old or so.
Marriage is a good thing for almost everyone. Really. I want my children to be the kind of people who make good spouses and parents. I am sorry that they did not enjoy the kind of home life I wanted for them. I never wanted to be a single mother, but maybe they can see how hard things have been for me and for them because of divorce. They can do better.
I saw this online http://simondale.net/hobbit.htm we can take care of the earth and take care of our families. We don't have to slave away at jobs we hate. There are too many "working poor" but we can fix it. Look for alternative lifestyles. Be counter-culture. Our culture isn't so great in so many ways.