SJSinNYC-
I mentioned this earlier on in the thread. My brother, who learns and lives in Lakewood, doesn’t receive any benefits from the government, or get any financial support from my parents or his in-laws. My sister-in-law has a degree from a diploma mill and probably makes the same salary as a teacher.
My brother said this is possible because he goes to a morning kollel that pays, receives a monthly stipend from the yeshiva, takes tests on what he learns to earn some extra cash, tutors, and goes to a night kollel that pays. (You may consider this a side job?)
When we visit our parents together I’m always jealous of how much time he spends learning, both in the house and at shul, and wish I could learn as serious as he does.