<story><title>Almost 80% of US workers live from paycheck to paycheck</title><url>https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2018/jul/29/us-economy-workers-paycheck-robert-reich</url></story><parent_chain><item><author>Sharlin</author><text>As an outsider, I really don’t understand how the US economy continues to function. With almost nonexistent social safety nets, jobs you can be fired from if you don’t come to work while ill, lack of paid maternity leave combined with really expensive daycare, and healthcare you can only afford if you’re healthy anyway, the only way for an average person to be able to prepare for contingencies is to have a lot of savings. But at the same time an average person cannot afford to save any money! Boggles the mind.</text></item></parent_chain><comment><author>anoncoward111</author><text>You&amp;#x27;ve pretty accurately described the situation here in the USA. I will describe some workarounds that most of us have had some exposure to. Some are better than others:&lt;p&gt;1) re housing: if you don&amp;#x27;t have much savings at all, you live with your parents (or you go on the streets, which is a very sad and tough reality for millions of Americans). if you have some savings but not much, usually you search for roommates or tenants if you have a house but still live paycheck to paycheck.&lt;p&gt;2) if you lose your job, in most states you can qualify for unemployment, which usually means 1-2k per month in post tax income for 6 months. unemployment has saved my ass twice already and im not even 30. it&amp;#x27;s very common to lose a job here, but it&amp;#x27;s also sort of easy to interview and get a job here compared to France.&lt;p&gt;3) regarding health insurance, if you don&amp;#x27;t have a job, you get it from your parents or spouse. if those don&amp;#x27;t work for you, you have to wait a long time until you eventually qualify for medicaid and food stamps (1-2 years if your income was too high this year). my gf didnt have any insurance for the first 20 years of her life, i havent had it in the last 6 years.&lt;p&gt;so, it&amp;#x27;s definitely not optimal, but also not a death sentence. with roommates, i&amp;#x27;m living on less than $1,000 a month right now and I feel extremely comfortable. I have gone as low as $500 a month but right now I live in NYC where the cheapest room possible is about $600</text></comment>
<story><title>Almost 80% of US workers live from paycheck to paycheck</title><url>https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2018/jul/29/us-economy-workers-paycheck-robert-reich</url></story><parent_chain><item><author>Sharlin</author><text>As an outsider, I really don’t understand how the US economy continues to function. With almost nonexistent social safety nets, jobs you can be fired from if you don’t come to work while ill, lack of paid maternity leave combined with really expensive daycare, and healthcare you can only afford if you’re healthy anyway, the only way for an average person to be able to prepare for contingencies is to have a lot of savings. But at the same time an average person cannot afford to save any money! Boggles the mind.</text></item></parent_chain><comment><author>cdoxsey</author><text>Why do you think the social safety net is non-existent? The US has tons of social welfare programs:&lt;p&gt;- TANF (temporary assistance for needy families)&lt;p&gt;- Medicaid&lt;p&gt;- SNAP (food stamps)&lt;p&gt;- CHIP (child health insurance program)&lt;p&gt;- unemployment&lt;p&gt;- disability&lt;p&gt;- housing assistance&lt;p&gt;- social security&lt;p&gt;- ...&lt;p&gt;States and cities also have many welfare programs along with private charities.&lt;p&gt;It is absolutely possible to save money on an average salary. In general, Americans are indebted and live beyond their means by choice, not by necessity. And once they get into the debt cycle it can be extremely difficult to get out.&lt;p&gt;Check out Dave Ramsey for practical tips: &lt;a href=&quot;https:&amp;#x2F;&amp;#x2F;www.daveramsey.com&amp;#x2F;store&amp;#x2F;product&amp;#x2F;the-total-money-makeover-book-by-dave-ramsey&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;https:&amp;#x2F;&amp;#x2F;www.daveramsey.com&amp;#x2F;store&amp;#x2F;product&amp;#x2F;the-total-money-mak...&lt;/a&gt;</text></comment>