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Look, I save almost 1/4 of my income and I still feel poor in many ways. It's not about spending habits it's being able to survive bad shit financially. A friend of mine had a single seizure while looking for work and could not drive for 6 months plus significant medical bills. IMO, if you can't survive a minor medical issue financially then your not middle class and it's really hard to get there before 35 or if you have kids young.

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Do you feel poor or do you feel not-rich? There's a difference, and not-rich = middle class. Poor is thinking twice before buying a pack of gum. Poor is hand making clothes out of scrap material. Poor is waiting on EBT before doing the grocery shopping.

That really sucks for your friend. But they exemplify the difference between broke and poor -- they were broke, in a bad spot; but I assume they're gainfully employed now and managing well (I hope).

No one is immune to everything forever -- not even billionaire Steve Jobs. your friend wasn't poor before his seizure, but the seizure knocked him down.

And of course several countries in the world do provide for the disabled. Even the US provides some support.

Even the US provides some support. If your heath issue prevents you from working for 7 months you get support but at 6 months you qualify for nothing.

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