I think part of what you’re qualifying as “and yet...” may be exactly what GP is talking about. They worry less and get on with things, comfortable that they can, rather than harming themselves with 1000 “economical” cuts. See too the boot metaphor[0] that is a real impediment to getting to somewhere comfortable. There’s a potential tipping-point that’s personal to each person.

[0] https://moneywise.com/a/boots-theory-of-socioeconomic-unfair...