in 1998 to highlight the struggles encountered every day by Americans

attempting to live on minimum wage. Ms Ehrenreich had always been

interested in poverty but was inspired to conduct this experiment by the new

welfare reform laws enacted in 1997. As the result of the new law, people

would be expected to leave welfare and get jobs. Sounds good.

Unfortunately, the jobs they were able to get really didn’t pay enough to live

on. Nickel & Dimed is about her ecperiences as the traveled around

america trying to make ends meet just like millions of Americans do

The overall message of the book is that wages in America are too low

and rents are too high. Single people and especoally families cannot survive

on the wages that unskilled workers are paid. Many families spend their

whole life behind in their bills and often have to forego such necessities as

food and clothing to keep a roof over their heads or buy medic

you’re going to be doing the same routine day after day

transportation for these low paying jobs. They can’t afford to take a job that

or that they are lazy. It’s because they cannot afford the childcare or

affordable housing crisis in this country. Many people have to work two or

doesn’t mean it’s easy. All of the low wage paying jobs in this book were

Another main point very clearly made in this book is that there is an

Some topics in this essay:
Nickel Dimed, Fountain Youth, Ms Ehrenreich, Barbara Ehrenreich, Sounds Unfortunately, low wage, nickel dimed, day day, unskilled worker, paying jobs, low paying, barbara ehrenreich,