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The main difference between people who are financially “responsible” and “irresponsible” seems to be whether or not their income falls above or below the cost of their basic needs. It’s interesting how we use language to shift blame from the system to the individual 
I don’t mean to say that there isn’t personal responsibility. Like you shouldn’t gamble away your paycheck before you buy groceries for your family. It’s easy to cut back on parts of your budget if you’re spending a lot on entertainment or takeout.
But I spent a lot of my life subtracting until I couldn’t anymore, and still not hitting where I needed to be. Every financial book I picked up said “stop going out to eat!” and “SAVE no matter what!” “Pay down your credit cards!”
I was like, oh...so the key to money management is to have some money. It’s not relevant to me! If I’m going to live paycheck to paycheck forever then fuck it, I’m getting takeout. I didn’t budget because it felt like rubbing my nose in hopelessness.
The poor tax is real! Interest and overdrafts and late fees and paying twice as much for 12 diapers because you can’t afford to buy 92 right now. And yet we make financial security a value. Poverty is a character flaw. Success is defined ONLY by net gain.
I’m not saying everyone should be paid the same or that people shouldn’t have accountability in their jobs and lives. But when we don’t take care of people who *cannot* survive, we feel fine about turning the other cheek because deep down we blame them.
Whether they have cancer or several kids or mental illness or they’ve just never been in the right place at the right time, deep down, we attribute it to their character. That’s how millionaires sleep at night and how I spend $30 on mascara. And it’s disgusting!
