I'm a (not quite) starving student.... but just how poor am I?
In the past month, I have been forced to deal once again with my relative poverty. With schools out of session and barely any teaching available, I'm barely scraping by. My numerous job applications have barely been acknowledged, and I've managed to acquire occasional work that is simply not sufficient to sustain my needs. I'm literally counting every penny, trying to make my July 1st bills.
In 2003, the poverty threshold for a single adult, below the age of 65, was $9573.
An alternate source of poverty statistics in the US is the Department of Health and Human Services. Their 2005 definition of poverty is nearly identical to that of the Census Bureau.
Alameda County's statistics, including those for poverty, can be found on the US Census Bureau site.
However, living in the SF Bay Area, these numbers don't mean a heck of a lot. The cost-of-living here, and the salaries needed to support families in this climate, is outrageous. In my neighborhood (that is, zip code), the percent of individuals below the poverty threshold is 17.2%, almost 5 points higher than the national average. I've tried to get a realistic cost-of-living estimate: how much basic food and shelter would cost... in vain. Well, I did learn that the Cost of Living Index for Berkeley is 144.1 compared to 102.76 nation-wide. Whatever that means. But I was able to discover that there are numerous locations in the country where I could live for nearly 1/10 the money. Clearly, the dollar doesn't go as far here.
Even within the Bay Area, there's a huge variation. The San Francisco Chamber of Commerce offers comparisons of salaries, etc., in the various Bay Area counties. The comparison of mean salaries is pretty scary, and the gap is widening. Meanwhile, the median salary is over ten thousand dollars under the mean salary, indicating that mean (average) salaries are pumped up by the very rich.
Regardless, I still consider myself a fabulously fortunate person, rich in resources and opportunities. I may be cash-poor, but I have health insurance, a roof over my head (even if just barely), and a wardrobe that could clothe a small village. And I'm definitely not starving.
For a little perspective, it is worthwhile to check out the statistics section on the United Nations' website, where they list the percentages of national populations who make an average of less than one US dollar per day. (In other words, the $420 I made last week would make a big difference in these people's lives.) UNICEF offers their statistics for the world's children here.
Finally, I am left with a sense that my financial woes are not too extreme. It sounds cheesy, but I really am one of the richest people in the world... if you measure wealth the way the Sages do:
I'm left with a burning question: What is poverty?The official statistics for the United States, calculated through the US Census Bureau, are here. For the Census' definitions and measurement of poverty, see here.
In 2003, the poverty threshold for a single adult, below the age of 65, was $9573.
An alternate source of poverty statistics in the US is the Department of Health and Human Services. Their 2005 definition of poverty is nearly identical to that of the Census Bureau.
Alameda County's statistics, including those for poverty, can be found on the US Census Bureau site.
However, living in the SF Bay Area, these numbers don't mean a heck of a lot. The cost-of-living here, and the salaries needed to support families in this climate, is outrageous. In my neighborhood (that is, zip code), the percent of individuals below the poverty threshold is 17.2%, almost 5 points higher than the national average. I've tried to get a realistic cost-of-living estimate: how much basic food and shelter would cost... in vain. Well, I did learn that the Cost of Living Index for Berkeley is 144.1 compared to 102.76 nation-wide. Whatever that means. But I was able to discover that there are numerous locations in the country where I could live for nearly 1/10 the money. Clearly, the dollar doesn't go as far here.
Even within the Bay Area, there's a huge variation. The San Francisco Chamber of Commerce offers comparisons of salaries, etc., in the various Bay Area counties. The comparison of mean salaries is pretty scary, and the gap is widening. Meanwhile, the median salary is over ten thousand dollars under the mean salary, indicating that mean (average) salaries are pumped up by the very rich.
Regardless, I still consider myself a fabulously fortunate person, rich in resources and opportunities. I may be cash-poor, but I have health insurance, a roof over my head (even if just barely), and a wardrobe that could clothe a small village. And I'm definitely not starving.
For a little perspective, it is worthwhile to check out the statistics section on the United Nations' website, where they list the percentages of national populations who make an average of less than one US dollar per day. (In other words, the $420 I made last week would make a big difference in these people's lives.) UNICEF offers their statistics for the world's children here.
Finally, I am left with a sense that my financial woes are not too extreme. It sounds cheesy, but I really am one of the richest people in the world... if you measure wealth the way the Sages do:
"Who is rich? The one who is satisfied with his [sic] portion" (Pirkei Avot).I am blessed with students eager for the Torah I teach, a loving (if neurotic) family, and the most beautiful friendships anyone could wish for. And I'm certainly satisfied with that.
posted by Rochel Leah at
8:02 PM
1 Comments:
Ba-boo,
Tell me about it. I've been asked to go on strike 3 times by my union. Each time I am on strike, I lose $164.56. The measly raise we are fighting for is a 2% raise for the next 3 years, which for me is about $71.10 a month. So, the raise is not even covering 1/2 the expense of the strikes! So it would be around 8 months before I'd even catch up and inflation will no doubt keep going.
Furthermore, I just got back from my cheapie summer vacation to learn that my rent will be going up by another $50 a month. And my boyfriend houseboy has been without regular employment for 1.5 years. And all my former friends have moved away and those that remain have gone nutzo with popping out babies and deserving presents from we, the poor and starving nice ladies of america.
If people could just stop flying their American flags for George Bush for 15 minutes, and crate and barrel could stop sucking out the marrow of everyone's credit cards, we all might realize that we're getting deeper and deeper into a pretty crappy situation. We'd call it a "depression" if it we're not for the fact that we still have alcohol. Sweet sweet booze.
Well, as far as I'm concerned, I think the Titanic crashed again when we lost Bill Clinton and the dot-coms and the world trade center. Why pay teachers when you can kill iraqis? Until the country yokels have to start paying higher rent and higher gas prices, the cities will be hosed.
I for one am getting ready to move to europe where those responsible british boys in ties will appreciate me and my heathly joie de vivre. America is getting to be too "depressing." I don't like canned peas anymore than any other veggie lovin californian, but it's got to be better than this, eh? I say, who's with me?
Love, Mrs. Beth Albarn
(2010 3rd Time Champion, Manchester Victory Garden grower for Sweet Baby Peas)
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