You might want to check official govnt stats on this. A surprising number of american households are not a little beyond that, they are exactly there, where a $400 expense would put them over the edge. Or, in this case, $400 in lost income.
Looking at the person you are replying to, who for many months had to choose between utility bill or food, please show a little compassion for how difficult saving can be when you have an unstable income (i.e. you are a shift worker at any of the many US companies that uses shift workers and computer algos to only schedule people for when there is workplace demand).
It sounds like you're making my point. A $400 expense will put them over the edge. If they can find a way to eek out 1 extra can or box of shelf-stable food a week and put it aside. Within a year they can easily absorb having to go a couple of weeks with no trip to the grocery store because of that expense.
I have compassion on all the people who felt absolutely fucked this week because they had never done that.
Also I did this on minimum wage for 4 years. I'm not judging I'm giving advice. If you disagree, I an my supply of toilet paper, rice and pinto beans will keep on truckin'.
> You might want to check official govnt stats on this. A surprising number of american households are not a little beyond that, they are exactly there, where a $400 expense would put them over the edge. Or, in this case, $400 in lost income.
That just says people don't save any money, not that they can't save any money.
That's not to say that saving money isn't difficult for some people, but by itself that number doesn't prove your point.
Looking at the person you are replying to, who for many months had to choose between utility bill or food, please show a little compassion for how difficult saving can be when you have an unstable income (i.e. you are a shift worker at any of the many US companies that uses shift workers and computer algos to only schedule people for when there is workplace demand).