The people you are talking about are people that take things on "gradually" instead of trying to do too much all at once. And anyone can struggle with stress if they take on too much. This is what contributed to the crash in the economy. Not only that but it's important to look at the fact sheet rather than just what people "look like" they have too. A lot of Americans are living from paycheck to paycheck and have a lot of debt and not very much saved. Then there are a lot of individuals who have accumulated a lot of college loan debt, graduated and can't find work. What is "normal" is that it is a challenge to stay afloat period.