More then 25 years ago...My Eagle paycheck minus per-diem/after taxes...was $428 every 2-weeks...I made it work by these steps.

-No debt
-Crashpad and $00.25 noodle diet
-Girlfriend had a job and made more money then me
-drove the car of my nightmares.
-delivered pizza at night on days off(when the car worked)
-got out of Eagle ASAP.