True. But the meme is wrong. It’s expenses not income.
The idea is you should be able to survive without working for 6 months.
Yeah, I get that, that's why I meant I doubt that more than 25% of people can survive without working for 6 months. I don't think more than 25% of people have more than 6 months of expenses saved up.
I don't think it's fair to blame it on bad education. I'm pretty sure almost everybody is aware that having emergency savings is better than not having emergency savings. The cost of living keeps going up, inflation rate going way up, but salaries are just not increasing enough to keep up. Everything is becoming more expensive and people can't afford it, let alone having enough money to set aside for savings.
As far as bad education I'm referring to those growing up in poorer conditions.
Parents that live check to check and have issues with making rent, feeding the family and maintaining basics like a car and home electricity.
I grew up in this kind of environment. Financial responsibility starts at home. You follow your parents. Then at schools they dropped home economics. How to make a budget and not fall into debt.
I got real lucky with outside support because I looked for it. I also know people who wouldn't listen to me and used credit cards frivolously. Spending more than they earn over and over.
Yes everything is worse today, but 10 and 20 years ago people still made stupid financial decisions due to capitalism and ignorance.
The working class has been guided to farm wealth for the 0.1% for a long time.