Barbara Ehrenreich’s “Serving in
Florida” opened our discussion of the minimum wage and the “working poor” in
our nation. Today, you are going to
explore this lifestyle further to determine whether or not the federal poverty
line is reasonable or if it is too high/too low.
In 2007, the poverty rate for a single individual was $10,210. For a family of four this number was
approximately $10,000 higher: $20,650.
WITH A PARTNER:
Work
out a budget for a family of four with an annual income of $20,650.
v Begin by determining what
your family looks like – age, gender, special needs, etc.
v Make a list of all the
household expenses you expect to encounter over the course of the year. Be sure to include costs for food, clothing,
housing, transportation, healthcare, and other unavoidable expenses. Think this through – there are many hidden
costs that your parents pay that you might not be aware of. Make the assumption
that you already own basic items such
as a bed, couch, towels, etc.
v Use the Internet to look up
comparable prices/costs and document where you found your information (web
address is fine). Create a list of expenses on a budget sheet.
v When you’ve completed your
annual budget – determine whether or not $20,650 is a feasible “poverty
line.” What sacrifices (if any) did you
need to make to live? What does your quality of life look like? What does this all mean? Write down your
analysis on your budget sheet.
v
Print your budget
and your response to the questions above. This is due at the end of the class
period. I only need one copy per group – make sure both partners’ names are
there.
|
Persons |
48 Contiguous |
|
|
|
1 |
$10,210 |
$12,770 |
$11,750 |
|
2 |
13,690 |
17,120 |
15,750 |
|
3 |
17,170 |
21,470 |
19,750 |
|
4 |
20,650 |
25,820 |
23,750 |
|
5 |
24,130 |
30,170 |
27,750 |
|
6 |
27,610 |
34,520 |
31,750 |
|
7 |
31,090 |
38,870 |
35,750 |
|
8 |
34,570 |
43,220 |
39,750 |
|
For
each additional |
3,480 |
4,350 |
4,000 |
SOURCE: Federal Register, Vol. 72, No. 15, January
24, 2007, pp. 3147–3148