39% of Americans can’t cover a $400 emergency expense

[Cracked]

Look, I see a lot of responses in the spirit of "fuck you, just because you are doing well, you can't expect others to do too, because of X unlucky or Y situation.". But that's exactly my point, you need to position yourself to actively try to avoid negative things in your life and work with what you have. Being a cashier living in Irvine with a young child and complaining you can't live on your wage is not working with what you have, it's literally expecting someone to save you. Learned helplessness. For the record, I belive that most people, over the course of their lifetime, do get out of a shitty situation, especially as and when their "unlucky" children grow up and are no longer a financial burden.

There just needs to be more promotion of making meaningful choices when you're young.

[Wyrt]

Look, I see a lot of responses in the spirit of "fuck you, just because you are doing well, you can't expect others to do too, because of X unlucky or Y situation.". But that's exactly my point, you need to position yourself to actively try to avoid negative things in your life and work with what you have. Being a cashier living in Irvine with a young child and complaining you can't live on your wage is not working with what you have, it's literally expecting someone to save you. Learned helplessness. For the record, I belive that most people, over the course of their lifetime, do get out of a shitty situation, especially as and when their "unlucky" children grow up and are no longer a financial burden.

There just needs to be more promotion of making meaningful choices when you're young.

Where do you expect cashiers in Irvine to live exactly? Or should Irvine just have no cashiers?

I'm not clear on this.

Also, 39% points to a systemic problem, not an individual problem.

[Dontrike]

Look, I see a lot of responses in the spirit of "fuck you, just because you are doing well, you can't expect others to do too, because of X unlucky or Y situation.". But that's exactly my point, you need to position yourself to actively try to avoid negative things in your life and work with what you have. Being a cashier living in Irvine with a young child and complaining you can't live on your wage is not working with what you have, it's literally expecting someone to save you. Learned helplessness. For the record, I belive that most people, over the course of their lifetime, do get out of a shitty situation, especially as and when their "unlucky" children grow up and are no longer a financial burden.

There just needs to be more promotion of making meaningful choices when you're young.

You cannot position yourself to avoid negative things. Again, that's why the phrase is "Shit happens," and not "Good things happen all the time," because life is going to hit you like a truck repeatedly and it will never stop. If you cannot live with what you have then do tell how exactly one would work with that. You seem to be so knowledgeable about this.

People do get out of A shitty situation, the problem is how many at one time can they take? One can rebuild, but you can't do it forever.

[Freighter]

You cannot position yourself to avoid negative things. Again, that's why the phrase is "Shit happens," and not "Good things happen all the time," because life is going to hit you like a truck repeatedly and it will never stop. If you cannot live with what you have then do tell how exactly one would work with that. You seem to be so knowledgeable about this.

People do get out of A shitty situation, the problem is how many at one time can they take? One can rebuild, but you can't do it forever.

If you're spending money which you can't afford to spend, then you're planning badly. This includes not saving money. I didn't make my money out of nothing, I planned how I would spend and save it.

[Dontrike]

If you're spending money which you can't afford to spend, then you're planning badly. This includes not saving money. I didn't make my money out of nothing, I planned how I would spend and save it.

Ah yes, another "Well I was lucky for shit not to go wrong, why don't others just get lucky?" Luck is far more than any planning and it sure looks like many here forgot the quote "The best laid plans of mice and men often go awry."

You or family get sick, accidents happen, you or someone get crippled, things are lost, stolen, or destroyed by many different sources, and all of it is outside of our control, no matter how much we plan. You can survive a tornado, but your savings won't when your house is gone. You can survive a flood, but your car can get swept away. You may save and save, but suddenly you get cancer, multiple sclerosis, or any other debilitating disease that you live with for years as it drains your savings and puts you or your family in debt. You can save all you want and use protection, but you can still have a child unless you stay away from sex completely.

Again, money sense and saving is important, but to think that just because you save a little here and there that you are safe from everything is plain ignorance. Luck doesn't give a fuck how much you plan because shit happens and not miracles.

[Freighter]

Ah yes, another "Well I was lucky for shit not to go wrong, why don't others just get lucky?" Luck is far more than any planning and it sure looks like many here forgot the quote "The best laid plans of mice and men often go awry."

You or family get sick, accidents happen, you or someone get crippled, things are lost, stolen, or destroyed by many different sources, and all of it is outside of our control, no matter how much we plan. You can survive a tornado, but your savings won't when your house is gone. You can survive a flood, but your car can get swept away. You may save and save, but suddenly you get cancer, multiple sclerosis, or any other debilitating disease that you live with for years as it drains your savings and puts you or your family in debt. You can save all you want and use protection, but you can still have a child unless you stay away from sex completely.

Again, money sense and saving is important, but to think that just because you save a little here and there that you are safe from everything is plain ignorance. Luck doesn't give a fuck how much you plan because shit happens and not miracles.

The vast majority of people who struggle economically are doing so because they refuse to plan how they spend and save money.

[Dontrike]

The vast majority of people who struggle economically are doing so because they refuse to plan how they spend and save money.

And you do have a point that it is at least part of it, and for some the majority of their issues, but to say that all are in their predicament is due to poor planning and money sense is, again, plain ignorant. If you've never had a plan of yours go wrong then congratulations, you're an exception to the rule and not the norm.

[Low Hanging Fruit]

I think it is fair to say some people are at fault with poor planning. Many others are just in a very difficult spot. To determine this ratio would be rather difficult to determine from here. So it will just boil down to hate the US then they are all idiots, like the US then some people just can't get out of a rock and hard place. So like most threads here it's painting opinion as fact around how you feel agenda building.

[jeezusisacasual]

The vast majority of people who struggle economically are doing so because they refuse to plan how they spend and save money.

This is true to an extent but i would suggest that some other things like the destruction of the single earning household and inflated healthcare / higher education costs. As someone who works in finance i cant tell you how many times i try to get family to take a portion of their expendable income ( 10-15% ) and put it towards an asset that will help them later in life to no avail. The other thing is that people are unwilling to move from where they are to a more prosperous area in the nation because of fear or lack of funds to pack up and move. More states need to subsidize trade schools / community colleges to not saddle the younger generations with so much debt that it delays the start of their home ownership and buying power ( things that move our economy ).

[Hilhen7]

This is true to an extent but i would suggest that some other things like the destruction of the single earning household and inflated healthcare / higher education costs. As someone who works in finance i cant tell you how many times i try to get family to take a portion of their expendable income ( 10-15% ) and put it towards an asset that will help them later in life to no avail. The other thing is that people are unwilling to move from where they are to a more prosperous area in the nation because of fear or lack of funds to pack up and move. More states need to subsidize trade schools / community colleges to not saddle the younger generations with so much debt that it delays the start of their home ownership and buying power ( things that move our economy ).

Moving to another state has a lot of problems for some people, first you need to find someone willing to rent to you but you don't have a job in that state. And if you try to get a job before moving you have to get time off from work to go on interviews. But if your low income can you really afford to miss work and fly/drive to another state for an interview?

[anveena]

Poor people should just stop being poor. It's not hard to save and invest money.

[Dontrike]

Poor people should just stop being poor. It's not hard to save and invest money.

Oh do tell your money making secrets oh wise currency prophet! Bless us with yours wisdom on how to invest a whole $3.

[some guy]

Oh do tell your money making secrets oh wise currency prophet! Bless us with yours wisdom on how to invest a whole $3.

Something something boot straps.

[Dontrike]

Something something boot straps.

To be fair, the $3 is hyperbole, but honestly unless you're walking around with a free $1,000 a month, outside of saving, then the only thing you'll be investing in is food that has a long shelf life.

[Underverse]

Taking debt from family or credit is not equivalent to affordable. This is a pointless article that tries to set the record straight but ends up splitting hairs at best, and more likely just being downright wrong.

[Muajin76]

Did you think 39% of American's can't cover a $400 emergency expense?

I find that hard to believe that many couples don't have emergency money put aside. If it's a family with say 2 or more kids, that's believable. If this includes the ppl that live in their parents house, working a 9-5 job while leaching off their parents and paying little or no rent, than that is pretty sad.

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when nearly 80% of american workers are living paycheck to paycheck. Then yes i believe it.

Does this 80% include people in their 30s living in their parent's place while having a full time job?

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But hey we have several more billionaires than a few decades ago so we are good.

And we seem to care bout spending billions on military than pumping that into our own country for it's betterment. T.T

[Shadowferal]

Does this 80% include people in their 30s living in their parent's place while having a full time job?

It seems to me you want to believe that.

[Felya]

It seems to me you want to believe that.

He is wrong... it’s the welfare queens... no! It’s the drug addicted bums... no! It’s the thugs and their culture... no! It’s definitely someone I don’t like... not sure which cartoon character I don’t like for this specific reason. But... gosh darn it... they are terrible...

[Jeezy911]

Yeah, no;

Step 1, don't have kids if you can't afford them. Step 2 Don't live in California.

[Xarkan]

Step 1, don't have kids if you can't afford them. Step 2 Don't live in California.

Step 1: If you dont want to pay employees enough dont run a company
Step 2: If you dont.. oh just repeat step 1