Random TV Characters Way Too Poor To Realistically Afford Their Lifestyles (20 items)

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  (#2) Hannah Horvath

  • Girls

  TV Show: Girls

  In an episode of Girls in Season 6, Hannah gets pregnant and starts listing reasons why it’s insane to think she could have the baby. One of them was pretty straightforward - “I will make less than 24K this year.” Ever since her parents cut her off in the first episode of the series, her financial life has been a bit unrealistic especially because she abruptly quit her high-paid GQ job. But with less than $24,000 per year, it’s hard to imagine she could afford to live in a New York apartment, even with Elijah as a roommate.

  And then, she suddenly gets a high-paid teaching job with health care and enough cash for her to afford a big house somewhere upstate? Talk about unrealistic.
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  (#7) Nick Miller

  • New Girl

  TV show: New Girl

  There's no doubt that the Los Angeles loft shared by the New Girl characters is ridiculous. For that much space, they should each be paying close to $2,000/month. It's understandable how Schmidt, Winston, and Jess can make rent, since they all have some source of decent income, but what about Nick? Especially in the early seasons, before he invests in the bar and becomes a writer.

  The show makes a point to emphasize how poor Nick is. He doesn’t have healthcare, his credit score is laughable, and he’s always short on cash. The sad truth? He would be even poorer in real life.  
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  (#10) Adam Braverman

  • Parenthood

  TV Show: Parenthood

  Parenthood was always a show that felt real, mainly due to its honest portrayal of complicated family dynamics. For instance, while Joel and Julia were pretty well off, the rest of the family all experienced money troubles at one point or another. But still, out of all the siblings, it’s hard to understand how Adam and Kristina could afford their lifestyle.

  Adam has a solid job that earned him a hefty salary, true – first as a manager at a big company, then as co-owner of the Luncheonette. However, consider his expenses during the show’s fourth season. The guy is putting Haddie through college, supporting a child with special needs, taking care of an infant, and covering Kristina’s medical bills while she's fighting cancer. Meanwhile, Crosby, who is the other co-owner of the recording studio, asks for a raise because he finds it hard to get by with only one child.

  It was also implied that Adam burned through most of their savings during the time he was unemployed, so where did all the money come from? It remains a Braverman mystery. Moreover, Kristina later goes on to run for mayor, and then they open a charter school. The Bravermans are really stretching the definition of middle class. 
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  (#15) Cisco And Caitlin

  TV Show: The Flash

  Back when STAR Labs was financed by Harrison Wells, it made sense that both Caitlin and Cisco made a decent living. But now, who is paying their salaries? While we’re guessing they have more pressing issues than figuring out how to afford lunch, it’s baffling that these two can keep their modest apartments and not even attempt to look for a gig on the side. 
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  (#12) Dev Shah

  TV show: Master of None

  Dev Shah is an underemployed commercial actor who spends most of his time with his friends and eating at restaurants. He lives alone in a gorgeous apartment (seriously, that kitchen is the stuff dreams are made of) and he moves to Italy on a whim after his girlfriend breaks up with him. 

  Now, commercial actors do make a good bit of money, but Dev is often shown working as an extra, not principal talent. That means he makes $366.37 for a full day's work during the week. That's a healthy wage, to be sure, but Dev only works sporadically, and he spends cash like it's going out of style. Even with his mid-Season 2 career move to host on Clash of the Cupcakes, there is just no way he has "screw it, I'm moving to Italy" money. He'll surely be spending all those cupcake checks on credit card interest for a while.
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  (#13) Tom Haverford

  • Parks and Recreation

  TV show: Parks and Recreation

  Before his numerous business endeavors, concluding with the successful Tom’s Bistro, Haverford used to live on a government salary, earning around $43,000/year. And yet, he was able to afford a stylish apartment stocked with cheese plates, chocolate fountains, fresh flowers, and gossip magazines on every table. And even kept the heat at a consistent 80 degrees Fahrenheit.

  Ann admits Tom used to be deep in debt, but you wouldn’t want to see his credit card statements. After all, if he were more financially responsible, there wouldn’t be a Treat Yo’ Self Day.

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