I am just saying that something as obscure as a hurricane can throw a family with no safety net into a free fall financially.
But for better examples,
1. You get the flu and miss a days work.
2. Your child needs their teeth cleaned or worse a cavity filled and you don't have entail coverage or a $50 deductible etc.
3. Your 1st grade child is sick and can't go to school so you now can't go to work.
4. Your parent passes and you have funeral arrangements to make and service to attend, etc.
5. Your get in a car accident (not your fault) and now you have no transportation.
6. You are injured at work and short term disability is a fraction of your pay and that is only after a number of days unpaid.
7. You find out you or your child need glasses.
8. Your child needs shoes, school supplies, medicine, a haircut, etc.
9. Bus drivers are on strike and now you cannot find a way to work so you can't get paid.
10. The laundromat close to you shuts down and now it is a 20 mile ride to the next closest one with two kids in tow (along with all of your laundry) and the closest you can get is 4-6 blocks from it.
11. Your wallet is stolen.
12. Your company cuts your hours or worse, it is closing and you are losing your job.
Or if none of those are good, how about
You or your child (or both) have life threatening allergies and you need an epi pen with the ridiculous out of pocket that comes with that.
The point is that risk is around every corner for people living paycheck to paycheck. You cannot fault people for making poor choices when the choice a) is really bad and choice b) is disastrous.
But for better examples,
1. You get the flu and miss a days work. 2. Your child needs their teeth cleaned or worse a cavity filled and you don't have entail coverage or a $50 deductible etc. 3. Your 1st grade child is sick and can't go to school so you now can't go to work. 4. Your parent passes and you have funeral arrangements to make and service to attend, etc. 5. Your get in a car accident (not your fault) and now you have no transportation. 6. You are injured at work and short term disability is a fraction of your pay and that is only after a number of days unpaid. 7. You find out you or your child need glasses. 8. Your child needs shoes, school supplies, medicine, a haircut, etc. 9. Bus drivers are on strike and now you cannot find a way to work so you can't get paid. 10. The laundromat close to you shuts down and now it is a 20 mile ride to the next closest one with two kids in tow (along with all of your laundry) and the closest you can get is 4-6 blocks from it. 11. Your wallet is stolen. 12. Your company cuts your hours or worse, it is closing and you are losing your job.
Or if none of those are good, how about
You or your child (or both) have life threatening allergies and you need an epi pen with the ridiculous out of pocket that comes with that.
The point is that risk is around every corner for people living paycheck to paycheck. You cannot fault people for making poor choices when the choice a) is really bad and choice b) is disastrous.