Just wondering your age. You do not seem to realize that everyone's life experiences are not the same.
1) a very few tragedy (illness, etc.) cases occur where savings is wiped out - completely understandable but that's not the bulk of the problem.
2) They say that very few people can afford to put $5/day away instead of buying that six pack of beer, or lunch at McDonald's. If this were started early enough retirement would not be an issue. Just mentioning that really angers some.
Again( what, my eighth time mentioning this?) - saving in the US is abhorrently low. It's a fact that we spend recklessly, as a nation, rather than save for retirement. And please don't tell me that the vast majority of people can't save. They choose not to. My first few years out of school I also choose not to save so I've been through that "life experience." I don't blame my not saving on anyone.