That’s an extraordinarily arrogant claim. Not everyone has the ability to earn enough money to save, never mind that much. Many Americans who work full time don’t even earn enough money to pay for rent and basic expenses, never mind luxuries or savings.
It's arrogant and it's harsh, but unfortunately - it's mostly true. Not all, but
most of the people who complain they can't afford the basics and can't save up any money are actually spending a lot of money without truly understanding it, by making poor choices on groceries, buying services (entertainment etc.) they do not need, buying middle class luxury items (for example, spending thousands a year in clothing when in reality you could wear the same clothes until they wear out, or even learn to fix them!), insurances (what a scam), eating out instead of learning to make healthy, normal, affordable food, traveling expensively (going into nature near you does not cut it) and so on and so on.
Case in point, and the price level of Finland is roughly similar (a tad higher on groceries etc.) to that of US. I have been homeless and tried to get my own business running in a small industrial estate which I rented and where I also unofficially lived (I caused zero trouble and helped them out so the landlord was happy with it), there was a period when I earned just some 100-200€ per month on the top of the rent and I was OK with it, I spent some 50-60€/month on food and it forced me to very healthy eating habits. Later getting into a small startup with little but at least some money, I was still able to get an actual
salary of 2200EUR/month, and with that I paid off my remaining student loan of 5000EUR in matter of half a year, plus made necessary investments like buy a car (420 EUR, old rusty Toyota, just
excellent car) and get some test equipment etc. That lasted for maybe two years and by keeping my expenses down, basically
everything went into savings, and finally I had some 25000 EUR in savings, the same as my soon-to-be-wife who had lived modest life, too. Neither of us
never earned much over ~2000 EUR/month and averaged out much less than that. Yet finally we bought a 75 000 EUR old house with only 20 000 EUR of debt, which we then renovated (and this is of course still going and never finishes).
Now I of course earn more and we are free of debt. We never complained, but if we look at media, we have to listen to / read bullshit like "boohoohoo I'm poor, I only earn 3500 EUR a month and no one can live with that because
after the bills* you only have 500 EUR left for
living**, boohoo".
*) oh how I hate that saying. Bills are not something that just appear out of thin air. Bills are for products and services
you chose to buy.
**) I hate this "living" thing even more. Basically it means entertainment and cafes. By that definition, I don't live.
No, we
two have lived together with my then-girlfriend being unemployed
with zero benefits and myself earning 2200 EUR a month yet deposited at least 300-500EUR every month on savings account. But no frappe mocha lattes at Starfucks, obviously.
It's a lifestyle thing. Now we have a lot more moneyz than back then, but still not wasting it. Never had financial stress; people think it's caused by too little income, but in reality it's caused by misbalanced income vs. living expenses, and while adjusting your income can be quite difficult (negotiating for more salary / changing job is not easy, and is risky), living expenses are under your full control. You just need to realize and admit this, and get rid of mental limitations.