No health insurance, no 401(k), no bonuses, and not enough in wages to make car payments, let alone buy a home. I don't know how these younger guys I work with survive.
(I'm not whining here - I own two cars and one home; I chose this this line of work voluntarily for my own reasons. Unlike many of the people I work with, I can get a $40/hr. job as an engineer if I am willing to commute for 3 hours per day, which I'm not.)
What am I trying to say? Heck, I dunno. I'm just glad that I live in America where I can change my situation if I want to.
I self-retired a couple of years ago (I'm 42) in order to spend more time with my kids during their critical teenage years. We live quite modestly, but very happily on my income from investments. I know that if I ever needed the money, I could go make a big salary again, but if I just needed a little additional cash (say $1000/mo or less) I would be very likely to just get a job in the local grocery store or something. But the fact that I have the choice is critically important-- I can choose to pursue happiness however I wish.