> The people people live one paycheck away from being destitute varies ... generally because they've taken on long term expenses they can barely afford. Bare-m

> The people people live one paycheck away from being destitute varies ... generally because they've taken on long term expenses they can barely afford. Bare-minimun necessary expenses like a place to live, a way to get to work, sensible insurance, and the miscellaneous expenses of life like groceries and clothing approach or exceed minimum wage in many areas. I'd argue that the power dynamics of the employment market cause prevailing wages to tend asymptotically toward this level. There's certainly an element of materialist culture that results in some number of people parking leased BMWs in McMansions to keep up with the Joneses, or of YOLO irresponsibility with adrenaline junkies spending their whole paycheck on adventure gear. But there's also on the order of a million ordinary Walmart cashiers making $11 an hour while working 30 hour weeks so the company doesn't have to pay benefits. Those people don't have to be either irresponsible or greedy to live paycheck to paycheck, even with good finances that's the default.