I lived in a well-budgeted, but low income family that was fairly secure, but a couple years where we struggled to cover expenses left me feeling like I had a better idea. Then at the end of my 20s, I tried to move to a new city on my own and get by on a really small budget while looking for work. The PTSD from that experience was unreal and I still have these back of my mind insecurities about losing everything again even when things are going okay and I have enough saved for six months of rainy days.

That stress of not knowing how you're going to cover the months bills while at the same time wondering if this is how it's going to be forever is crippling in a way that's really hard to convey to others. I'll go on a trip and see people throw down a couple hundred dollars on a night out and think, "that money would bring a dramatic sense of relief that you can't even understand to someone who is suffering in silence right now." It makes it hard to spend on myself now and I've become the guy that throws money at friends and family members the moment I suspect they're in a month like that.

Even with my slim experiences, I'm really lucky. I dealt with a really bad year and then several years rebuilding and getting on my feet with jobs that eventually started to give me a savings. I was fortunate to have a degree and some brains that got me into better jobs over time though. I can't imagine what it's like for people who are starting from zero in qualifications and were underwater before they even started life on their own. No one should be cavalier in speaking about poverty and how to fix it on an individual or big-picture level. It's not at all easy and takes sober empathetic, discussion.