The Word Is Comfort

Pip: today's word is comfort. Professor Wobble: six-figure earners say comfort starts at $200,000. Bitsy: why isn't $100,000 enough? Groceries (36%), rent (32%) and doctors (31%) eat it first, and over half say they'd need double their pay to feel safe. Mort: the top 10% still does nearly half of all consumer spending. Brought to you by the number 200,000.

In the Harris Poll behind the 'survival mode' figure, six-figure earners put the line for financial comfort at $200,000 or more and more than half said they would need double their current income to feel secure; 52% said the American Dream is not possible for them, groceries, rent and medical costs were the top drains, and 57% feel guilty complaining because they earn more than most, even as the top 10% of earners drive nearly half of US consumer spending.

Starring

PipProfessor WobbleBitsyMort