Live and have tastes below your means, or improve your abilities.
Your tastes are a key thing to think about. If you like expensive things, then the amount of money you need will be much higher than if you are content with something minimal. Remember, as your savings grow you can eventually afford much more expensive things than someone who gets the max they can now - but this is only if you survive. (alternatively you can retire early and enjoy your current tastes younger)
Improving your abilities doesn't have to mean college. Depending on your potential college might even be a bad idea - if you flunk out in after several years of loans you will really be in trouble. You can improve a lot just from books in the local library. Your boss may have suggestions of what will help you most.
These steps are mostly from Dave Ramsey (though others have their own, and I've put my own twist on it), and they are mostly in order, though sometimes a little step should be done early. These are also from a US perspective, other countries have different costs of living. Get $100 in an emergency fund. Get the match in your retirement plans. Pay off all debts. Max out your retirement fund. Save elsewhere.
