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According to the Department of Health and Human Services, the U.S. birthrate has tanked. And who’s to blame? Millennials.

There’s been plenty of hand-wringing about this in the media, along with elaborate think-pieces about why this might be happening. But if you’re a Millennial, your response might be a solid eyeroll. To many of us, the reasons people our age aren’t having more—or any—kids are screamingly obvious. But strap in, because we’re going to get into those reasons anyway.

My parents purchased their first home when my mom was 28—a small, brick ranch with a sunken den where I watched "Little House on the Prairie" and snuggled with my baby sister. By the time I was eight years old, we'd upgraded to a split level on a quiet cul-de-sac. My mom was 31. My dad was 36.

According to the American Dream—that ubiquitous mantra that says we should all be doing better than our parents—I should've bought a bigger and fancier home than my parents' first house when I was in my mid-twenties. Instead, I didn't buy my first home until I was 33. And that was only possible because I married someone without debt. 

You ever get the sense that this "adulting" thing never really gets easier? 

When we were kids, we thought (I mean, I thought) that being an adult meant eating Lucky Charms for dinner and staying up as late as I wanted and never having homework.

For Sarah Pool from Staunton, Virginia, the investment in grad school hasn't quite panned out yet. In fact, far from it.

Pool graduated from Mary Baldwin University with a Master’s degree in education—and $60,000 in student debt. In the three years since she graduated, she’s never missed a payment. Even so, her debt has increased to $69,000.

If owning a house is a big part of your idea of success, you’re not alone. For decades, homeownership has been sold to us as an important part of the American dream. We’re all supposed to want one.

But these days, buying a house isn’t as easy as it once was. And it’s not always such a great deal, either. Here are some myths we’ve been fed that may not be true across the board anymore, if they ever were.

Let's face it--nobody loves their job all the time, even those lucky enough to be working their dream gig. But let's say you're pretty far from that scenario. When should you tough it out—and when should you walk away?

There's no shame in quitting a job that isn't getting you where you want to be, or one that is actively toxic. Here are some questions you should ask yourself before you walk out the door for good.