[ilaksh]

The reason I have trouble saving is not because I am a weak-willed low-life as implied by this article. The reason is because there is not enough money to pay for things that I need, so I have to make difficult choices about what to go without. And choosing to save usually seems unwise when it means neglecting some other need.

[1123581321]

Yes, exactly (and I don't believe the article implied what you said.)

People with low incomes make rational spending choices. By offering a financial incentive to use the vault, Wal-Mart is trying to make saving as attractive as another possible purchase. Borrowing your language, saving becomes a difficult choice instead of an easy choice not to save.

[BearGoesChirp]

How do we define a rational choice that doesn't end up making the choice chosen always the rational one regardless of what the choice is?

[flukus]

> And choosing to save usually seems unwise when it means neglecting some other need.

For some people it's that simple, for others working out what they need and when they need it is more complicated. Advertising is a multi billion dollar industry based around convincing people they need certain things or certain brand names.

I'm sure we've all met people that spent more on electronics than they really need to browse facebook, or dealt with customers that need to be coached on what they need.