The thought of completely riding myself of having to pay rent often intrigues me. Most people in America put the largest proportion of their income towards housing costs, if we could get rid of this massive expense, imagine how much more $$$ we could dedicate to investing.
Viable ways to avoid rent:
1.) Buy and pay off your own house/apartment. You can thank yourself for this in a few decades when you pay off your loan (if you choose to finance) because you will have no rent/mortgage to pay. The drawbacks are houses age and require maintenance, all maintenance must be done by yourself, taxes and utility bills.
2.) Live in a van. Believe it or not, I am not completely adverse to this idea. I think living in such a cramped space will make me better appreciate what I have now. It would also save me a ton of money and allow me to be completely mobile. People would think you are poor, but you could be using the money saved for stock investing or a business venture till you start making loads of money. A young person who needs to save mass amounts of money may look into this, when you are young you can endure those types of hardships.
3.) Bum off of relatives or friends. This is an alternative to rent many people utilize. People with hospitable households will get free rent, free food and a clean house to live in. The drawbacks are: You may be inconveniencing someone, the stigma of living at home, the feeling you cannot support yourself.
Out of these three, I personally think #1 and #2 are not so bad.