
Government shutdown spotlights 78% of US workers live paycheck to paycheck - spking
https://www.cnbc.com/2019/01/09/shutdown-highlights-that-4-in-5-us-workers-live-paycheck-to-paycheck.html
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ryanmercer
Sure, a lot of people just waste money on stuff they outright don't need like
the top 3 video games every quarter, a VR rig or two, vices like smoking
(tobacco or marijuana), drinking, travel etc. But... when 20% have the bulk of
the wealth the rest of us often have to unless we want to live 9 deep in a
shoebox of an apartment, hot-bunking 3 beds.

Being human beings we have emotion, we like to occasionally enjoy our
miserable existences. Sure, one can survive with minimal electricity, sleeping
on the floor, eating rice and beans, going nowhere but to work and the grocery
but that isn't life. People WILL spend some money on
recreation/entertainment/luxury because it has very real positive mental
effects.

People, especially on this forum, quickly forget that the federal minimum wave
is $7.25 and that the median HOUSEHOLD income is around 59k.

Public transportation isn't a viable option for many people and used cars
often come with unexpected problems that can easily cost hundreds of dollars
while newer vehicles cost considerably more.

Not everyone has the time to spend cooking from scratch 1 meal a day let alone
3 and while people will be quick to shout 'meal prep!' that requires
considerable freezer/refrigerator space. I can only meal prep about 2 days of
food due to the ridiculously small freezer/refrigerator in my apartment that I
am not allowed to replace for one I purchase. Sure, people could still save a
ton by buying chicken, rice and beans and just using an instant pot to quickly
cook their dinner and next day's lunch while they do something else but food
is something people enjoy and life isn't about being miserable so people can
get rather liberal with their food related spending.

While many have health insurance, it is often not that great. I've fairly
decent insurance and if I go to the optometrist/doctor/dentist for even
routine things I'm out 20-40$ a visit assuming no
tests/cleanings/prescriptions and if you get sick chances are your PCP isn't
going to get you in in a timely fashion so you're out another extra 20-40$ for
going to an urgent care provider.

Hey you want internet at home? Be ready to cough up 60-120$

Live somewhere that doesn't have a fairly tolerable climate year-round? Expect
expensive electric bills in the summer when it is 80-90F with 75%+ humidity.
Expect expensive electric/gas bills in the winter when it's below freezing
(and even here in Central Indiana we can see -1F down to -17F/-18C down to
-27C).

Want to go to a globo-gym? 30-40$ a month, at least. Want to do CrossFit or
belong to a barbell club/powerlifting/olypmic lifting gym? 100-250$ a month.

Want to see a movie? 10-20$ Want to rent one? 4-8$

Toss in consumables, on occasional book or video game, new
computer/laptop/console/phone ever 2-5 years and you're talking hundreds to
thousands of dollars, new clothes and shoes occasionally.

Lucky enough to have a 401k? Even luckier and actually get a match? Many
people are lucky if they can even afford the 2-5% required to get a full
match. Want to try and save 10, 20, 30% of your gross income in your
retirement account? You're likely going to have to sacrifice pretty hard
elsewhere.

Now, liquid savings... do you have any money left over for that? Yeah?
Probably not a lot each pay period.

Hey cool, you managed to save up 3 weeks take home! Awesome! You're winning.
Shit, wait, oh no, no, oh come on man I just replaced my battery in my car a
week ago and now one of my ball joints failed/someone smashed my
window/someone slashed my tire(s)/my alternator went/I broke a bone/I have a
new cavity/hours at work got cut/the kid has a non-cosmetic need for braces or
corrective oral surgery/damn I got a $300 ticket for going 10 over the limit
while other people regularly do 20 over/I got an interview at an office but I
don't own any business casual clothes and everyone says I should wear a suit
so there goes $150 to men's warehouse/etc.

And don't get me started on college. Want to go to college? 20-250k in debt
please depending on what level of degree(s). Got 1 kid, got 2 kids? If you
want a (worthless) Associates from a community college (IUPUI) you are
coughing up $275 a credit hour + $300 in admin fees a semester + whatever a
parking pass costs + textbooks.

\-----

 _Since HN is throttling me for 'posting too fast' since my comment has been
downvoted... _shakes head* I'm going to reply to matt22's comment below this
post since I've typed it out and am not going to sit here with the reply
waiting 2-90+ minutes (in my experience) to post the comment*:

> Exciting food other than what is needed to survive

I read this as "people have no rights to enjoy their lives, gruel is perfectly
acceptable for basic survival"

>

"The average advertised package for stand-alone internet service in America is
around $50 per month during the initial promotional offer and about $60 per
month" I gave a very generous range because utilities can be considerably more
expensive in rural areas, rural areas compromise the majority of the United
States by are. [https://www.highspeedinternet.com/resources/how-much-
should-...](https://www.highspeedinternet.com/resources/how-much-should-i-be-
paying-for-high-speed-internet-resource/)

>Set the house to 68 in winter, 72 in summer. Dress accordingly.

First you show bias by saying 'house' not 'home' or' residence. 68F in winter
can still be quite costly if it's below freezing out, especially if it is
windy and 72F in the summer can actually be pretty damn expensive if it's in
the 90's. As far as 68 in the winter, yesterday my apartment management sent a
text and email out to all residents reminding us to have our thermostats at at
LEAST 72F to avoid pipes freezing with the winds and below-freezing temps that
came in last night, I've seen other places recommend as low as 70F and I've
had pipes on exterior walls freeze at a previous address with the thermostat
set to 74F (which sucked because I'm miserable at 74F, too hot to sleep).

>Exercise at home doing body weight exercises

Again I read this as "people don't deserve recreation, they can do
calisthenics for basic fitness" your next three statements read similar "if
you aren't making big bucks, you get to sit at home in the dark twiddling your
thumbs"

>How often are these other tragedies occurring? More than once per year? Maybe
you should considering moving away from a place where people are smashing
windows or slashing tires/doing things to break bones?

When you have lower income you often live in higher crime areas, drive older
vehicles, can afford preventative maintenance less, have poorer nutrition
which results in increased illnesses and even nutritional deficiencies that
can lead to more broken bones, lower income folks also often have higher rates
of blue-collar work which exponentially increases your risk of being injured
on the job.

Now I don't know your history, your current income, if your net worth is even
negative but your replies come off as hostile and like someone that truly just
doesn't know what it's like to not have a well-paying job. Go talk to people
outside of your circles, go see how people actually live, go ask them what
life has been like.

~~~
foxyv
First of all I'll say it's one thing to say "Live Frugally" and another to
actually do it. We provide almost no education about how to do it in schools
and social pressures and advertising train us to never do it. Also health
issues, insulin resistance from garbage food, and depression make it 10 times
harder.

It is possible to live happy and cheaply on voluntary expenses:

* Free Books, Internet and Movies: Library

* Free Exercise: Parks, Outdoor Running,

* Cheap Entertainment: Library, Walks, Public Beaches, Cycling, Board Games

However these things are usually like 10% of your income. It's like focusing
on the dog pooping on your lawn while an elephant smashes your house.

Things that make you broke in the US no matter what:

* RENT RENT RENT RENT RENT

* Electricity Costs (You literally have no choice since most modern homes will rot if you don't condition them.)

* Water and garbage (Even if you don't use a drop and never touch a paper towel you still pay at least $40 for sewer and base fees)

* Transportation (Public transportation is iffy even if it's available. Late trains are a great way to lose your job.)

* Medical bills (Even if you are lucky enough to have insurance)

