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> It also doesn't appear to jive with your earlier statement about managing your money in such a way that your day to day finances would be in any way similar t
by morgante 12y ago
> It also doesn't appear to jive with your earlier statement about managing your money in such a way that your day to day finances would be in any way similar to someone earning $10 hourly.
I never claimed my finances were similar to someone earning $10/hour. Just my lifestyle. (The fact that I don't have much to spend money on is part of the reason I've managed to accumulate extensive savings.)
> university life generally comes accompanied by prepaid meal plans, health insurance, counselling, housing, on campus services and student discounts
They do have housing taken care of, but that $4000 is used for meals. While those fringe benefits are tangible, I don't think they make a major lifestyle difference considering that most never use health or counseling services
- nitrogen 12y agoYou're probably right about day-to-day lifestyle differences being rather small between surviving poor and thriving middle class. The biggest difference is in the exceptions, both positive and negative. Someone just getting by won't have the spare cash or leave time to take a vacation, and a single disaster could put them on the streets if they don't have family or friends to turn to (which can feel just as shameful as being on the streets). The other major difference is psychological: the feeling of being trapped in a precarious situation.