AsanaCycles, congratulations on your brother for being able to save up on $10 an hour and stay sober while living in LA. He sounds much more motivated than most people I know
The only way I managed to save up $2k when I used to make $10/hr down here in Orange County was by living with my Mom (2007-2008, I was in my early 20's at the time, just barely finished up my bachelor's degree and jobs were hard to find). And I had no health insurance, I wasn't paying rent, just helping with gas/water/electric utility bills while my Mom paid the phone bills, the mortgage, property taxes.