The official unemployment rate calculated by the Bureau of Labor Statistics excludes people who have not actively sought a job in the preceding four weeks, as they are no longer considered part of the civilian labor force." - from this article
How does that work? You still need money to survive but you’ve given up looking for work? You can’t be on welfare forever - how do those folks survive?
people forced onto the streets, drug dealing, won the lottery… lotsa reasons!
There’s this whole movement called FIRE (financial independence, retire early) where people live of passive income so they don’t have to work and can enjoy life more.
There are a lot of ways of doing this but a lot of people invest into stock and live off it after it has grown enough.
If you’re on disability, welfare, pension, etc.
Move in w/family members, get on food stamps, run up credit card debt…a variety of ways, really. Usually several combined.