1. ERIN BURDICK, JAMES SOLOMON, AND AMANDA DIMICHELI Nickel--And--Dimed on (Not ) Getting By in America

2. --Background-- The “real” Barbara Ehrenreich-  College educated  Middle class journalist The “parallel universe” Barbara Ehrenreich  Never went to college  Father worked in the mines his whole life  Referred to as “baby”, “honey”, “blondie”, and “girl instead of Barbara “I am not an experimental scientist by training. In that business. You don’t just sit at a desk and theorize; you plunge into the everyday chaos of nature, where surprises lurk in the most mundane measurements.”

3. --The Bill-- $ 100 (money she started out with) 1,040 (approximate earnings after one month) - 517 (total spent on food, gas, toiletries, laundry, phone, and utilities) - 30 (price of work slacks) - 500 (month’s rent) $93 (approximate money left over)

4. --Barbara’s Co-Workers-- Everyone had a different story and financial background– no stereotypical situation Examples…  Gail earned $250 a week and lived with a terrible roommate  Annette, a 20 year old server was 6 months pregnant and lived with her mother (a postal worker)  Joan, lives in a van. She parks outside a shopping center.

5. --Closing Questions and Concepts-- How might Barbara’s experience differed had she had young children, poor health/stamina, or a non- working car? Low-wage workers have few options as transportation issues, lack of a good education, humiliation, and ridicule force them to stay in poverty