What is doable does vary significantly across this country. The assumptions point out that affordable housing has to be available for this budget to even have a chance to work.

Likewise, within the comments, there is clarification that you cannot build a single budget that will work everywhere. A high cost of living budget (requiring a higher minimum wage) is out of whack when applied to other parts of the country. Likewise, a low cost of living area – as used in the example budget – will fail miserably when applied to a high cost of living location.

However, there is always an option. Yes – living in New York and paying 92% of income to rent is a nasty situation to be in. Yes, higher education is only a dream at that point. Improving from within that situation is going to be nearly impossible.

What forces somebody to stay in that situation? Moving to a less expensive location is an option for most people. There are always exceptions, but people who truly cannot move are very rare – most choose reasons not to.

The most important thing I want to draw from your comments is your key point:

Success doesn’t happen for everyone even when they try really hard.

You do have to work hard at the right things to be successful.