The Reality of the Working Poor

The roots of the M3 Blog are set in a foundation of saving money. The information on the early pages of this blog are still visited daily by those seeking to put something, anything, in the kitty. For many of them, it is not the rainy day for which they are saving. They need the money now. For them, deeply cutting back is the only way to make ends meet. What happens when all the cutting is done and ends still do not meet? Laurie knows. Grab a cuppa.

Down to the Last...

Down to the Last…

Economic classes serve to annoy separate us as a society; we often do not notice the separation until it is close to home. Then, there is not always instant recognition of the true meaning of the working poor. Phrases such as it is only five dollars are actually an insult to a number of working poor. Why is it an insult? Five dollars can often make the difference in whether or not the lights stay on for another month.

The wealthiest end of the spectrum making over six figures a year does what it can through charitable donations, but there are those that cannot even imagine the reality. What is it like to be a member of the working poor, barely able to keep a roof overhead and food on the table? What is it like to know that at any moment you could become one of the homeless?

Imagine earning less than twenty thousand dollars a year, and supporting a family with it. Imagine that less than twenty thousand is actually closer to being less than ten thousand dollars a year. Yes, it is a realistic number; more people manage to do it each year than most would care to admit. The game is hand to mouth, juggling anything that will move.

“Broke” Means No Money

Running out of money before month is common, but what does it really mean? There are those that use the term broke to mean they do not have as much spending emergency cash on hand as they would like; the working poor often use it to mean they have not so much as a penny hiding in a couch cushion, and they are serious. It is a struggle to pay the bills, and the tiny bit that is left has to last until the next payday while providing for the basic needs of the household.

Most cannot fathom the concept of being this broke. The idea that something has to last from one payday to the next regardless of how small the payday or the item size is lost on some; five dollars to replace something that you already purchased is a lot of money when you barely have enough to put food in the house; these homes do not always qualify for assistance and a food bank can only do so much.

Little things others take for granted such as sending children to school with change for ice cream, or purchasing school pictures creates a hardship if they were not budgeted in advance. Incomes this low require that every detail be planned to the penny; there is no room for error. This much for attention to detail can have parents eyeing lists for school supplies months in advance and searching thrift shops to see if they can find school clothes that will be the right size for the following school year.

Doctors are for the Rich

Medicine Pills

Those with enough money to pay for insurance often take health care for granted; those without it are forced to pay out of pocket or do without. The number of free and reduced health care services is low; lower still the number of places patients can obtain no or low costs prescription medications. Doctor visits, medications, dietary restrictions and even the transportation to and fro all combine to make up the cost.

The maintaining of health would be important, especially to those without life insurance to handle expenses left behind. The problem is that the working poor, those at/below the poverty level can scarcely afford to keep themselves in good health. Walking everywhere they go would be a good start, but those in rural areas are dependent upon the vehicle they can barely afford to get them around. Illness is often worked through forcing down over the counter medication in a hope that the correct symptoms are treated before it gets worse. Home remedies are sought in an effort to avoid paying for something not already on hand.

Making It Work

The reality is that learning to do things yourself is a necessity for the working poor; it done often without the proper tools as a result of the expense involved. While the rest of the world simply replaces items, like worn out socks, the working poor keep wearing them until the entire sock turns to dust; some will learn to fix them like people did before stores appeared on every corner. Patches on clothing to make it last just a little bit longer; refusal to replace the ripped up blinds instead favoring blankets over the windows (they allow more privacy in most cases); anything to save a dime that is not had.

Gifts and Holidays

kiddletreeThe working poor will be on the broker side during the holiday season; the gifts given are typically limited to the children in the home. Why the children? Easy, the children are innocent, and when they come from truly poor families, they are likely to do without their little hearts desires through the year in favor of basic necessities. The holidays are the one time of the year these children are splurged on; there is a good chance it took all year to come up with the money for the few gifts that will be opened.

While the rest of the world rushes around searching sales and determining the ideal gifts these families are hoping to get a single one to the innocent child that has no concept of money yet. There are those will buy for the children in these families, some of those buying do not realize they are buying for the working poor because the fact is hidden that well.

No

This is the refrain from working poor parents shopping with their children as they examine the list in hand for the millionth time. The marks they are making are not merely crossing items off the list, but putting the prices beside each one to give a running total. The amount for the trip is likely written on a corner of the paper so they ensure they are not over budget. The list is prioritized and often things are placed back on shelves after debating whether or not it can be done without.

These people are not attempting to be mean to the child often preferring to shop without them to prevent having to tell them no; they are attempting to meet the child’s needs without going into debt. The working poor are often limited to the cash they have on hand, doing without the safety net and debt that is the credit card.


Do you use things until they evaporate into dust? Do you fix things instead of paying someone else? Do you find yourself worrying that you won’t have enough to purchase the items that make up basic needs such as food? Have you noticed relief on a parent’s face when someone bought their child something unexpectedly?

After you answer her questions, go check out Laurie and her new book, Moments, Money & Memories.

© Red Dwyer 2013
Original Post © Laurie Childree
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38 Comments

  1. Excellent post, Laurie. I worked with low income folks for many years through Habitat For Humanity and other groups. Your comments are exactly right. Thanks for your work.

    Reply
  2. Laurie, I am so glad you are giving your voice to the working poor and their children. I have been one of the group since age 18, only unable to work since becoming disabled. I sent my children to school without lunch or lunch money, comforted by the knowledge that the cafeteria workers would give them a meal. I never bought them new clothes. They had to forego school trips and outings. Instead, I taught them to cook from scratch, to create beautiful artwork, and to enjoy playing without the latest fad toy. Today they are grown and are part of the working poor themselves. It is painful to see them struggle, but they know in their hearts I truly understand.
    Gail Thornton recently posted..Free Flash Fiction from Redmund Productions!My Profile

    Reply
    • Gail, It’s my pleasure. I’ve had the income ups and downs where you have more than you need, and again where there is barely enough to make ends meet. It never fails when you have money to spend you have a lot of friends. When you need help they’re usually scarce and some is going “it’s only $$” and you’re going, “well, if I had it then I’d all ready have that..uggh”.

      Your children likely learned the lessons money can’t buy and actually know what’s important.
      Laurie recently posted..Sheduling ConsiderationsMy Profile

      Reply
  3. I fix everything myself and try to get the most use out of everything I can. Most artists are not well off.
    Binky recently posted..Snow DayMy Profile

    Reply
  4. The everyday struggles within this posting will be extremely familiar to so many needy people and how unbelievable is it that such rich countries around the world have this very same problem, there are families living on the bread line never having the luxuries in life that a lot of people just take for granted and how shameful this really is.

    Children going without basic needs and as each part of a needy life untangles the wants become an endless list of impossibilities, hard working families cut short on income their daily struggles drowned out by the noise of wealth and progress.

    If only the wealthy would take time out to just look beneath the surface there are thousands of families struggling to keep warm in winter, feeling hungry and often left behind as the rich prosper and the less unfortunate become lost, left behind in a world of greed.

    This is a great posting Laurie, and thank you for opening our eyes to the realities of life my friend. Have a wonderful evening 🙂

    Geoff

    Reply
    • Thank you Geoff, I think that if the wealthy has to spend a week living the life of the working poor, a bit of change wouldn’t be so hard to come by. Have a wonderful evening, 🙂
      Laurie recently posted..Sheduling ConsiderationsMy Profile

      Reply
      • I agree with you Laurie,
        but would they be able to
        leave their lovely warm
        mansions and expensive
        motor cars to sample even
        one single day in the life of
        the needy?

        No is the simple answer to
        this one as they just do not
        care 🙁 It is tragic…

        Have delightful evening 🙂

        Geoff

        Reply
    • I think Laurie is correct that no one would take the silver spoon from their mouth long enough to appreciate what going to bed hungry is like. Most have an impossible time of separating want from need. Sad.

      Reply
  5. Great Post xxxxxxxxxxxxx
    Happy 15th day into the Year xxxx
    i like to make things a whole lot !!!!!!!!
    it’s pretty easy to see that 🙂
    I do It because I love It …….
    And Art and music consume me
    IN A GOOD WAY 🙂
    🙂 🙂 🙂
    If i couldn’t make something – or create something
    i would be really NOT ME –

    as i think most artists are –
    I like to fix and go through my stuff and ORGANIZE ……………….
    i do ask for help 🙂 lol
    sometimes with the fixing things

    I think most people do though xx
    love xx
    Cat
    Cat Forsley recently posted..-to jump into the clouds – Cat Forsley –My Profile

    Reply
  6. Thanks Laurie 🙂 🙂 🙂
    have a good night you guys xxxxx
    Cat Forsley recently posted..-to jump into the clouds – Cat Forsley –My Profile

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  7. Great post Laurie. We learned to survive and knew poverty all too well. Make do. Stretch pennies, do without, repair, fix, substitute, manage somehow. You’re right on. In countries as rich as the United States and Canada, there is no excuse for poverty other than greed. Look at my latest post…nothing has changed. Kudos to you. “:)
    raymond alexander kukkee recently posted..Real Hockey or Corporate NHLMy Profile

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  8. As somebody who has lived in poverty for decades I can certainly relate! 🙁

    It is only since I have been on Incapacity Benefit because of my paranoid schizophrenia that I have known the comfort of a full belly and my bills paid using the lowest tariffs I could find!

    Money is still tight, but now I eat according to my diet, not according to how cheap the meal will be!

    Today the government is cutting my small income even further to reduce the deficit and things are getting harder while people like Doug are persecuted and starved for not being in work in a depressed economy where jobs are hard to find.

    I dream of how rich I’d be if I won the lottery jackpot (78 MILLION to 1 odds), but it looks like the only route out of poverty is by writing…

    Love and hugs!

    Prenin.
    prenin recently posted..Tuesday – Quiet day.My Profile

    Reply
    • It’s amazing how those that can’t find jobs when there are no jobs are called lazy, and those can’t work will be told they can just to save a dollar for those that have no idea how to balance a check up.

      Hopefully, writing will take us all to new hieghts in the new year. Hugs. 🙂
      Laurie recently posted..Sheduling ConsiderationsMy Profile

      Reply
  9. Laurie,
    Your post painted a picture. I have been high on both pendulum sides. What I learned in poverty: There are many things I do not need. What I learned in riches: When I have more I can give more, because there are many things I do not need. I wouldn’t trade either experience and am thankful to have been taught the value of compassion. Thank you for a beautiful post to start my day. (Thanks Red too)
    Lisa
    Lisa Neumann recently posted..Today ranked at a “3″My Profile

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    • You’re more than welcome, that’s a lesson everyone could stand to learn. It is priceless.
      Laurie recently posted..Sheduling ConsiderationsMy Profile

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    • There is a valuable lesson in applying the discoveries of poverty during the time which are not so lean. It is the truest form of remembering whence we have come. xxx

      Reply
  10. Excellent and articulate , Laurie… Even at the start my gut bunched up with “it’s only $5″… how often have we heard that and not realized the value of $5 to someone living at the edge! My Dr says it frequently, when I explain why I can’t get all the prescriptions every month that he perceives I need. I must pick and choose between breathing, thyroid issues, blood sugar problems, not to mention all the pain from my various chronic conditions. Being on disability, low fixed income, when there are extra expenses (I don’t do holidays) something else must be sacrificed and the dominoes all fall down. Not to mention that when on gov’t “payroll” (disability), it could be a four week pay period or a five week period, both of which must be managed with the same original amount.
    It’s been years since I’ve known what it’s like to have even some small change left by the time the next payday rolls around.
    And, still. the perception is that it’s my fault. I should budget better. I should be more careful with my $$. HA!
    And I don’t even have kids – I can’t imagine being where I am and still worrying about what the kids need too.
    And, as you said, for one reason or another, most of us do not qualify for assistance. There still is a perception that when you get that broke there is a safety net, that the gov’t will bail you out. That is just a fantasy created to make the wealthy live with their consciences.
    I was near tears, Laurie, as I read through the comments and realized how many of us there are in this sinking boat. It doesn’t help, but it gives perspective!
    Thanks so much for this article. I’d really like to see more of this kind of information like on the front pages of newspapers, or headlining the news, rather than some bimbo who’s never known “need”, just got preggers again, and aren’t we all just so excited for her! (She doesn’t have a job – she’s just famous for being herself!)
    Sorry for speaking out so much, this is a topic that needs way more eyes on it!! Thanks again for putting it into words so well!!

    🙂
    BuddhaKat recently posted..Frequently oFF the Wall, Friendly Fractals Forever…My Profile

    Reply
    • Thank you, I’m just glad to have a relatable subject. I do believe more attention should be given, we send millions of aid everywhere else, but our own are forgotten. Even families seem to over look the poorest as an embarrassment to them.
      Laurie recently posted..Sheduling ConsiderationsMy Profile

      Reply
    • I am so very much with you on the not caring at all who is pregnant or dating or broken up or anything else of a personal nature. To me, this is not news. I would love to see a return of the “feel good” story and a unification of us as a race to obliterate poverty. I fear shy a divorce from the monetary scale against which our current worth is measured, such things remain out of reach. Yes, there are far more in sad conditions than many will ever realize.

      Oh, and never apologize around here for speaking up, out, loud or long. xxx

      Reply

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