The compensation expert Graef Crystal was for a long time a consultant to executives who were negotiating their contingent bonus packages. Sometimes there wouldn't be any bonus at all in bad quarters/years and his clients would claim bitterly to him.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Graef_Crystal

As to eBay, for people who aren't truly poor, running your expenses up so close to the limit that losing 6% means your financial life is in ruins is a very bad way to live.