Anonymous wrote:You should reduce your expenses then because if that’s the case you’re only one emergency away from bankruptcy or total poverty. It’s simple math, people!

How do you advise people to cut out childcare, medical expenses, car & appliance repair, car insurance, health insurance, and student loans?

My friend who makes the same as me is pregnant and just signed a daycare for $550 a week. Mine is $300. I just don’t get how people don’t realize when you make your fixed expenses so high you’ll always be stressed for money. She’s always broke.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The modern redefining of luxuries as necessities makes it hard to see that saving is doable for many people who claim that they can’t save a dime (while typing away on their smartphones).

+1

One word: Starbucks.

Starbucks is not the reason people don't have much leftover after paying rent, school loans, car loans, and medical bills.

Privledged people think you’re indulging in $1,000 iPhones and private schools and so they like to scold you. It makes them feel quite satisfied! Reality is your child care and health care and housing probably eat up your paycheck. Between repairs for cars and home maintenance and emergency health bills there just isn’t a lot left. And for those who are scolding people for having children? That’s disgusting.

All the "struggling" people I know make stupid decisions. This is THE easiest country and area to do well in.

Teachers are basically furloughed for 2 months and need to save to get themselves through the summer months. Many school systems don’t have 12 month pay options, only 10 month. It’s a bit different as it’s not a surprise, but considering the volatility of today’s government, fed workers should always put themselves in a position to be able to weather a shutdown. Of course saving is hard—but it is a skill that’s a necessity.

Anonymous wrote:The modern redefining of luxuries as necessities makes it hard to see that saving is doable for many people who claim that they can’t save a dime (while typing away on their smartphones).

+1

One word: Starbucks.

Their parents spoiled them and they are not people that have critical reasoning skills.

I understand what you're saying OP. That said, many MANY people who claim to live paycheck to paycheck actually spend their money on useless crap. Not at all saying this is you! Just that so many people bitch and moan about not having enough money, and they do it while texting on their $1000 iPhone, while standing in line at Starbucks. You get my point.

Don’t pay for your own graduate education, live further out and commute, send kids to public school, don’t eat at restaurants, have fewer kids...there are many ways to live within your means and save. Most don't.

The modern redefining of luxuries as necessities makes it hard to see that saving is doable for many people who claim that they can’t save a dime (while typing away on their smartphones).

I am a furloughed fed feeling the pain right now but I do believe you need to reduce expenses. At any salary you should be able to save. And I say this as someone who started at 35k as a fed. I completely understand that all humans have lean times but every year can’t be a lean time.

No one said that it isn’t hard, and no one is forcing you to do it. There are a lot of things that people “should” do that are difficult to pay for.

You should reduce your expenses then because if that’s the case you’re only one emergency away from bankruptcy or total poverty. It’s simple math, people!

Especially if you make barely enough to cover the bare minimum. I am honestly disgusted by people online and in real life saying that govt employees (and everyone) should have 3-6 mons of expenses saved. That's mighty hard seeing as a lot of people live check to check. If I can barely make it to payday, where is the "savings" money coming from? We don't all have surplus funds at the end of the month to put away. And 6 months of expenses? That's a lot of money when most people don't even have $1000 for an emergency.