If you really think about the OP's question - there are other questions (OP is NYC, right?)
How about "how does a middle class couple each afford a pack a day cigarette habit?" In NYC, it's about $13-$14 a pack. So, for 2, let's say $27 per day. That's $9855 per year for smoking. Or, if each has half a pack a day, nearly $5k per year for that habit.
Or, how about people who have that $5 latte at Starbucks every.single.day.of.the.workweek. That's $1k/year just for coffee. Again, I'd say "I don't know how people afford that." But, really, I do - they just prioritize coffee a lot higher than I do as far as things they're willing to purchase just for enjoyment. Ditto cars - how do so many of the people afford such nice cars? They can't. Well, they can - if they prioritize the car as being more important to spend their money on than other things that I'd rather spend money on. I'd rather buy a nice new kayak paddle in April for $100, a $100 in new fishing equipment in May, a $100 new tube to tow behind the boat in June, an extra $100 to spend on vacation in July, an extra $100 to spend in August on vacation, an extra $100 to spend on hunting equipment in September, etc.; than be driving a car that cost $100 more per month to drive.