I think people are conflating 2 things: (1) the shutdown, which everyone (or mostly everyone) thinks is ridiculous and (2) people who should be financially secure but are not.

Not OP, but I think she/he was using #1 as the basis for talking about #2. No need to get all bent out of shape. The facts back up OP. We, as a country, are really bad about saving. Our savings rate is abysmal. And sometimes it takes something like #1 to show people why saving is important. Doesn't take away from the fact that the shutdown is horrible. Lots of things are horrible - illness, accidents, etc. You still should prepare if possible.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Would you rather be like many private sector employees and unemployed. Federal employees are very lucky. Yes I'll be sad to lose some money, but I know way to many folks in the private sector who've been hit very hard in this economy not to thank my lucky stars for my fed job.

No, I am not thanking my lucky stars for my federal job. I have worked 70 hours in the past week, and this is typical of this year. I do not see my child awake on most weekdays. I am sick of workig this hard and being underpaid and underappreciated.

well then quit. there is a line of people that would love to have your job.

What part of "hiring freeze" do you not undertand? People who leave or retire are not being replaced. It's called attrition.

well do us a favor. save the government paying your salary and quit so we don't have to hear your whining.

Yup. Do you know how lucky you are to not have to worry about losing your job? If you hate it so much, quit and give the job to someone who will appreciate it.

My sister is 37 and single, a GS-14, and has no kids- she has close to $500k in savings and could certainly afford to weather a shutdown. BUT, accumulating all her savings has come at a cost to her, which she admits- she worries a lot about retirement and saving, and always has, because she doesn't anticipate ever getting married and she knows the only person she can rely on for retirement is herself. Worries about money keep her from doing a lot of fun things; even our dad, who retired at 49 (is now 69) and has been able to support himself and our mom on being thrifty, thinks that she needs to worry less about money and live her life more. So, she's on the opposite end of OP's spectrum of high earners who are spendy.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

"My paralegal is a GS 12 and a single dad to five kids (his wife died in an accident several years ago)."

Does he receive Social Security benefits for the kids?

I have no idea, that really wouldn't be an appropriate thing for me to ask him.

If they're under age 18 he does. SSA is pretty good in my experience about making that happen.

It's possible that the late wife didn't work long enough for her kids to qualify for SS Survivor Benefits.

Anonymous wrote:I agree with you OP. I think congress is just a bunch of spoiled babies, but I am not going to freak if I miss a paycheck.

When I created the "essential" employee list, I just asked who will freak if they don't get a paycheck. That is my essential employee list.

It was about 50/50.

You're a cool boss, PP.

Greg Nudd, an Environmental Protection Agency employee who works on dust and haze issues, was furloughed for a total of 47 hours this year....“We’ve cut back on a number of things. We canceled cable, we got rid of our land line, we cut out luxuries, the housekeeper’s not coming — things like that."

Okay, who's husband is this ?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Would you rather be like many private sector employees and unemployed. Federal employees are very lucky. Yes I'll be sad to lose some money, but I know way to many folks in the private sector who've been hit very hard in this economy not to thank my lucky stars for my fed job.

No, I am not thanking my lucky stars for my federal job. I have worked 70 hours in the past week, and this is typical of this year. I do not see my child awake on most weekdays. I am sick of workig this hard and being underpaid and underappreciated.

well then quit. there is a line of people that would love to have your job.

What part of "hiring freeze" do you not undertand? People who leave or retire are not being replaced. It's called attrition.

well do us a favor. save the government paying your salary and quit so we don't have to hear your whining.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Blah blah blah saving is over rated and it must be terrible living in a state of paranoia. You can get short term credit union loans to cover y until back pay is given.

What back pay?? You honestly think this Congress is going to pay Federal employees for not working?

They did last time. But this time, I wouldn't hold my breath.

Exactly. Anyone who's sitting around counting on back pay because it happened in 1995 is living in la-la land.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Blah blah blah saving is over rated and it must be terrible living in a state of paranoia. You can get short term credit union loans to cover y until back pay is given.

What back pay?? You honestly think this Congress is going to pay Federal employees for not working?

They did last time. But this time, I wouldn't hold my breath.

Anonymous wrote:Blah blah blah saving is over rated and it must be terrible living in a state of paranoia. You can get short term credit union loans to cover y until back pay is given.

What back pay?? You honestly think this Congress is going to pay Federal employees for not working?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Would you rather be like many private sector employees and unemployed. Federal employees are very lucky. Yes I'll be sad to lose some money, but I know way to many folks in the private sector who've been hit very hard in this economy not to thank my lucky stars for my fed job.

No, I am not thanking my lucky stars for my federal job. I have worked 70 hours in the past week, and this is typical of this year. I do not see my child awake on most weekdays. I am sick of workig this hard and being underpaid and underappreciated.

well then quit. there is a line of people that would love to have your job.

What part of "hiring freeze" do you not undertand? People who leave or retire are not being replaced. It's called attrition.

Anonymous wrote:

Would you rather be like many private sector employees and unemployed. Federal employees are very lucky. Yes I'll be sad to lose some money, but I know way to many folks in the private sector who've been hit very hard in this economy not to thank my lucky stars for my fed job.

No, I am not thanking my lucky stars for my federal job. I have worked 70 hours in the past week, and this is typical of this year. I do not see my child awake on most weekdays. I am sick of workig this hard and being underpaid and underappreciated.

Then do something about it besides whining and looking for a handout. But you probably are not smart enough to because you are essentially worthless.

Anonymous wrote:

Would you rather be like many private sector employees and unemployed. Federal employees are very lucky. Yes I'll be sad to lose some money, but I know way to many folks in the private sector who've been hit very hard in this economy not to thank my lucky stars for my fed job.

No, I am not thanking my lucky stars for my federal job. I have worked 70 hours in the past week, and this is typical of this year. I do not see my child awake on most weekdays. I am sick of workig this hard and being underpaid and underappreciated.

well then quit. there is a line of people that would love to have your job.

Anonymous wrote:Eh, they're probably full of shit. Whinny Millenials crying over it just for sympathy. Their bank accounts are probably just fine.

+1

Anonymous wrote:

"My paralegal is a GS 12 and a single dad to five kids (his wife died in an accident several years ago)."

Does he receive Social Security benefits for the kids?

I have no idea, that really wouldn't be an appropriate thing for me to ask him.

If they're under age 18 he does. SSA is pretty good in my experience about making that happen.