I would hardly call you dense Wanda. You are very right. Nearly all financial advice on the Web (including my own writing) is intended for those who aren't truly poor. The reason is, to put it bluntly, that escaping poverty isn't something you can do by "pulling yourself up by your bootstraps." Sure, there are some pieces of knowledge that can help, if the person in question finds some good fortune. But for the most part, what we write has more to do with making the most of opportunities and resources you already have or can reasonably expect to gain.