> I have a couple friends who haven't had steady work in years, and they still eke out a pretty reasonable existence living with friends and family

What about their wife and children? Do they get to stay with them too?

No, the people I'm thinking of are childless. They recognize that their level of stability and functioning is not currently high enough to support a family.

I didn't say that they're thriving and living their dream, just that they're still a couple rungs above homeless.