I make decent money, 65k. Nothing glamorous, but it's decent. I work at a decent job that treats us well and is compassionate.
But I am still poor. In my best case scenario, I can put away $200/month. That hasn't happened for over a year. I am can't-go-on-dates poor. I am can't-see-my-friends poor. I am might-lose-my-dog poor. I might end up homeless with how this year is shaping up. My apnea has been so bad that I need to get help or I might not wake up one day, and that has devastated my bank account. My car died so I can to replace it. That car now has a cracked windshield I can't afford to fix, and is making worrying sounds.
I just can't understand how the hell anyone is supposed to live. My rent is $1.6k for a shit hole infested with cockroaches and mold, my insurances (health, auto, renters) scam me out of $500 every month for coverage that won't begin until I have emptied my bank account.
And I have tried to make it work. I have squeezed every penny I can find. I no longer even get groceries that are multiple ingredients put together. I have to assemble everything from its component parts.
Sorry, this is barely related to the work reform movement. But even dedicated people in good jobs are barely skirting devastation. And now I am circling the drain.