this post was submitted on 31 May 2025
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[–] Tb0n3@sh.itjust.works 17 points 5 days ago (2 children)

There's a thing called lifestyle creep. You may not necessarily be living paycheck to paycheck on the bare minimum. Going out with friends, having the latest phone, having hobbies, if you cut out all fun you may be able to save up significantly. You can also live like a bum in the least accommodating space you can stand. Being comfortable is expensive, but not everybody wants to be uncomfortable for long stretches just to fuck off to the Bahamas for a month every few years. That or credit card debt.

[–] greenskye@lemm.ee 30 points 5 days ago (1 children)

I think current 'lifestyle creep' for many is getting used to things like 'health insurance' and 'something other than beans and rice'. Hard to give up simple human dignity once you've had a taste of it.

[–] baines@lemmy.cafe 4 points 4 days ago

people living like this don’t think into next week much less health insurance

these are the dudes social safety nets and medivac helicopters support

[–] starman2112@sh.itjust.works 3 points 5 days ago (2 children)

That is for sure a thing, but in my case it genuinely is having little income

Been making minimum wage for way too long, and at this point I'm too old and don't have the skills to get a significantly better job. My retirement plan is

[–] Kecessa@sh.itjust.works 4 points 5 days ago

Well sure if you never got out of minimum wage jobs then it's no wonder you can't accumulate a safety net, the majority of people don't keep working minimum wage for decades though (median income is above minimum annual salary).

[–] NewSocialWhoDis@lemm.ee 1 points 4 days ago (2 children)

If you're making minimum wage, what do you really have to lose by improving your marketable skills?

[–] ijedi1234@sh.itjust.works 1 points 3 days ago

One's heart. Perhaps you are unaware, but improved skills can cause havoc on one's cardiovascular health. Improved skills are a leading cause of death in the United States.

[–] starman2112@sh.itjust.works 1 points 4 days ago (1 children)

It's a pretty neat trap, you see I can't afford to take any time off work to even look for another job, let alone any unpaid training

I'm sure if I locked the fuck in and pulled myself up by my bootstraps and got extremely lucky, I could jump ship into a better position, but that target is like 5 feet wide and a hundred feet away and surrounded by homelessness on all sides

[–] Tb0n3@sh.itjust.works 1 points 3 days ago (1 children)

You obviously have the internet. I doubt you worked 24/7. Use some of that internet to study.

[–] starman2112@sh.itjust.works 1 points 3 days ago

Do you have any internet-based resources I can use to study in any way that would help me get a different job?