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Around the Internet => Antimustachian Wall of Shame and Comedy => Topic started by: elysianfields on June 05, 2015, 04:02:30 AM

Title: Nearly Half of Americans Say They Can't Afford an Unexpected $400 Expense
Post by: elysianfields on June 05, 2015, 04:02:30 AM

From The Washington Post:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/the-fix/wp/2015/06/03/tnearly-half-of-americans-say-they-cant-afford-an-unexpected-400-expense/ (http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/the-fix/wp/2015/06/03/tnearly-half-of-americans-say-they-cant-afford-an-unexpected-400-expense/)

Title: Re: Nearly Half of Americans Say They Can't Afford an Unexpected $400 Expense
Post by: meg_shannon on June 05, 2015, 05:23:45 AM

The article cites that one quarter of households earning 100,000$+ cannot afford an unexpected 400$...Wow.

I've had a couple of times in my life where I wouldn't have been able to afford an extra 400$, mostly while in college and when my ex spent all our money a few times, but it was scary. I hated it and quickly amassed an emergency fund to deal with those expenses. Hopefully I'll never face that again.

But I don't find it too surprising. I have a few friends that wouldn't be able to come up with the extra money.

Title: Re: Nearly Half of Americans Say They Can't Afford an Unexpected $400 Expense
Post by: forummm on June 05, 2015, 08:10:11 AM

http://forum.mrmoneymustache.com/antimustachian-wall-of-shame-and-comedy/47-of-us-households-can't-get-$400-without-borrowing-or-selling-something/

Title: Re: Nearly Half of Americans Say They Can't Afford an Unexpected $400 Expense
Post by: Bearded Man on June 05, 2015, 08:13:20 AM

Are you kidding me? The vast majority of my friends are living with/off their parents well into their 30's, 40's and in one case, 50's. School, housing, cars, food, you name it, they have to get money from their parents.

Title: Re: Nearly Half of Americans Say They Can't Afford an Unexpected $400 Expense
Post by: 2Birds1Stone on June 05, 2015, 08:14:38 AM

"Nearly half of Mustachians can't do a search prior to creating a duplicate thread."

Title: Re: Nearly Half of Americans Say They Can't Afford an Unexpected $400 Expense
Post by: Syonyk on June 05, 2015, 09:30:02 AM

I normally have at least that in my wallet, cash.

Title: Re: Nearly Half of Americans Say They Can't Afford an Unexpected $400 Expense
Post by: elysianfields on June 05, 2015, 09:42:50 AM

Quote from: 2Birds1Stone on June 05, 2015, 08:14:38 AM

"Nearly half of Mustachians can't do a search prior to creating a duplicate thread."

While the threads are similar, the sources are completely different (The Washington Post vs. AllGov.com).  I'll admit that the ultimate source is this Fed Report (http://www.federalreserve.gov/econresdata/2014-report-economic-well-being-us-households-201505.pdf (http://www.federalreserve.gov/econresdata/2014-report-economic-well-being-us-households-201505.pdf) TL:DR), entitled "Report on the Economic Well-Being of U.S. Households in 2014". 

The three referenced article titles have no search terms in common.  The The Washington Post and AllGov.com titles have "unexpected" "expense" and "$400" in common.  The website URLs have no terms in common.

In any case, I started a second thread, and the world did not end.

Title: Re: Nearly Half of Americans Say They Can't Afford an Unexpected $400 Expense
Post by: forummm on June 05, 2015, 07:22:55 PM

Quote from: elysianfields on June 05, 2015, 09:42:50 AM

In any case, I started a second thread, and the world did not end.

Hey, who turned off the lights? What's that burning smell? What's HAPPENING?!?!??!?!