Because after a certain point it's your own fault for not saving a bit. People who make less money have fewer options because you can only cut back so much on

Because after a certain point it's your own fault for not saving a bit. People who make less money have fewer options because you can only cut back so much on food and rent. A person making $20k a year doesn't have much flexibility. They'll have problems just getting by, much less saving 18 months of expenses. On the other hand, a person making $100k a year can always pretend they only make the $20k and save the rest. Or they can live more comfortably and still save some money. Or they can spend with reckless abandon and save nothing.