Nickel and Dimed: On (Not) Getting By in America

Describe the living conditions Barbara encounters in Minnesota that “increases the victimization rate for poor women

 

 

Describe the living conditions Barbara encounters in Minnesota that "increases the victimization rate for poor women

 

Asked by
Last updated by Aslan
Answers 1
Add Yours

Ehrenreich arrives in Minnesota, hoping to find there a slightly more comfortable environment than what she has so far experienced. It’s a liberal state, with clean air, friendly people, and affordable housing. She picks up her Rent-A-Wreck and is able to shack up for a few days in the apartment of friends of a friend—in exchange for looking after their cockatiel, whom she refers to as “Budgie.” Couch surfing is only a survival technique at best and certainly not safe for any woman. The Comfort Inn—at a whopping $49.95 a night. She knows this model won’t last her long; at her $7-an-hour wage at Wal-Mart, she simply does not have the income to allow it.