poverty

A decent standard of living

Posted 10 weeks 4 days ago by Philip Brewer

There's little argument about the minimum a human needs to survive--we know how much water, food, and shelter keep body and soul together. But a certain level of comfort above that has always been considered necessary for a "decent" standard of living. Just how much space there is between necessity and decency, though, is a social construction, and society's opinion changes all the time.

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The new face of poverty is fat

Posted 21 weeks 20 hours ago by Philip Brewer

Shopping, Health and Beauty, Food and Drink

Twenty years ago, I parked at a supermarket, near where a poor family had just parked. I knew they were poor, because they looked like poor folks are supposed to look: Their clothes were worn (but mended and clean). Their car was an aging sedan. They were recycling a trunkful of aluminum cans. As I locked my car, they took the handful of change they got for the cans, and headed in ahead of me. There were three of them--man, woman, child--and all three were skinny. It's unusual to see that now. The new face of poverty is fat.

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Being Poor Without Being Pitiful

Posted 33 weeks 4 days ago by Linsey Knerl

Personal Finance

I have spent a good portion of my young life being poor. Growing up on a small family farm during the agriculture crises in the 80’s gave me perspective on what poverty really means. Eating cabbage soup for most meals, riding in cars with holes in the floorboards and doors welded shut, and picking out clothing from among the abandoned items in the school’s lost and found will always give me something to compare my financial situation to when times get a little tough.

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Voluntary simplicity versus poverty

Posted 43 weeks ago by Philip Brewer

Filed Under: Frugal Living

Sunset at Kaufman Lake Park

The first person I met who practiced voluntary simplicity didn't call it that, and I didn't understand what she was doing until many years later. It left a lasting impression, though, because it was a source of stress between her and her friends.

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