Post by Monica Lynn on Oct 11, 2009 14:30:06 GMT -5
I finally finished this book. I am not one that usually enjoys books of this nature but since I am going through some rough patches right now I needed to read this book.
The author Barbara Ehrenreich decides to see how the low income people survive on the pay that they receive. As I read this book it really made me realize how much the rich seem to get richer and the poor get poorer. I borrowed this book from my son's friend and I am glad I did. It took me awhile to read the book because it is only 3 chapters long and I would stop reading and then not pick the book up in a long time and have to go back just to refresh my memory.
In this book Barb travels to different parts of the United States and gives herself a limited amount of money when she first moves to a new place to look for a low wage job. She first decides to find a job in Key West, Florida as a waitress. Her next stop is in Maine in the Portland Area as a maid, and her last stop is in Minnesota in sales.
Barb first starts off with looking for a place to live when she first arrives in Florida, Maine and Minnesota. As she is looking for housing she also looks for jobs by looking in the want ads or just seeing signs posted in stores, restaraunts etc. The interesting thing about the book is that the pay wages are so different in each area and also in the types of jobs she accuires. Her first job as a waitress only pays $2.43 an hr. plus tips. So depending on the type of waitress she is and the establishment can make the job a good or bad one. Plus the waitresses have to split the tips with the busboys. It is interesting to see how she handles the job and also the customers. Some of the customers are so rude and expect everything to be ready when they want it.
Her next stop is in Maine. Barb hunts again for both a place to live and a job. She finally finds one place to live which isn't the nicest but at least it is a roof over her head. The job she finds is in maid service. Her pay will be $6.65 an hour and if she misses a day her pay will go down to $6.00 for 2 weeks. She has to go through training to learn the correct way to dust, vacuum, and clean. Who would think you need to be trained on how to clean.
Her last stop is in Minnesota. She actually starts out with possibly two jobs, one at Menards and the other at Walmart. She doesn't think she can handle working two jobs so she decides to take just one. She decides to take the job at Walmart in sales. All I have to say is that I was very shocked by what I learned about Walmart and some of there practices. Since I have worked in retail before I know the pay isnt't always the greatest but usually the benefits help out.
I found Nickel and Dimed very informative and opened my eyes to the problems that our government seem to just push under the rug or try to convince us that we don't know what we are talking about and see with our own eyes.
I read this book do to the fact that I may be going through something like this soon. I just wanted to get an idea of what it is like do live in poverty by reading this book. I wouldn't wish this on anyone.
5 stars
The author Barbara Ehrenreich decides to see how the low income people survive on the pay that they receive. As I read this book it really made me realize how much the rich seem to get richer and the poor get poorer. I borrowed this book from my son's friend and I am glad I did. It took me awhile to read the book because it is only 3 chapters long and I would stop reading and then not pick the book up in a long time and have to go back just to refresh my memory.
In this book Barb travels to different parts of the United States and gives herself a limited amount of money when she first moves to a new place to look for a low wage job. She first decides to find a job in Key West, Florida as a waitress. Her next stop is in Maine in the Portland Area as a maid, and her last stop is in Minnesota in sales.
Barb first starts off with looking for a place to live when she first arrives in Florida, Maine and Minnesota. As she is looking for housing she also looks for jobs by looking in the want ads or just seeing signs posted in stores, restaraunts etc. The interesting thing about the book is that the pay wages are so different in each area and also in the types of jobs she accuires. Her first job as a waitress only pays $2.43 an hr. plus tips. So depending on the type of waitress she is and the establishment can make the job a good or bad one. Plus the waitresses have to split the tips with the busboys. It is interesting to see how she handles the job and also the customers. Some of the customers are so rude and expect everything to be ready when they want it.
Her next stop is in Maine. Barb hunts again for both a place to live and a job. She finally finds one place to live which isn't the nicest but at least it is a roof over her head. The job she finds is in maid service. Her pay will be $6.65 an hour and if she misses a day her pay will go down to $6.00 for 2 weeks. She has to go through training to learn the correct way to dust, vacuum, and clean. Who would think you need to be trained on how to clean.
Her last stop is in Minnesota. She actually starts out with possibly two jobs, one at Menards and the other at Walmart. She doesn't think she can handle working two jobs so she decides to take just one. She decides to take the job at Walmart in sales. All I have to say is that I was very shocked by what I learned about Walmart and some of there practices. Since I have worked in retail before I know the pay isnt't always the greatest but usually the benefits help out.
I found Nickel and Dimed very informative and opened my eyes to the problems that our government seem to just push under the rug or try to convince us that we don't know what we are talking about and see with our own eyes.
I read this book do to the fact that I may be going through something like this soon. I just wanted to get an idea of what it is like do live in poverty by reading this book. I wouldn't wish this on anyone.
5 stars
