Geez I’d have beaten those numbers in 1995 and a buck was worth more back then. How do people live that close to catastrophe? I mean five bills or even twentfive hundred bills can be wiped out today by one (1) visit to the car mechanic alone.
Not sure I totally agree with your figures, but when it comes to car repair, you better have a good deal more than 500 bucks to lay out & for home repair; much more than that. A truly poor person doesn’t have much of a chance these days.