The Poor Pay More than the Rich

A lot of things cost more in terms of money, time, menace, exhaustion, and hassle for poor people. You will pay more for food, inferior housing, transportation, and health care. According to Rep. Earl Blumenauer (D-Ore), “The poor usually pays more for the things taken for granted by middle-class in America.”

Like food, for example. If you don’t have a car to go to Trader’s Joe, Costco, or any supermarket, you will buy groceries in a corner store where one gallon of milk will cost you an extra dollar.

Economists say that prices in urban stores are always higher. Bradley R. Schiller, American University’s professor emeritus says “Since the poor don’t get low wholesale prices given by bigger stores, they end up paying more on goods.”

Census Bureau revealed that in the United States, over 37 million people live below poverty line. And they pay not just in terms of money, but in time too.

When you’re poor, you have to wait for the Laundromat to be empty before you go and put in your heap of laundry. Unlike if you have your own washer and dryer; you would have the luxury of taking a morning jog while your machine cycles your load.

A food-service worker living in Brightwood says “When my car broke down, it took me too much time standing on a bus stop and getting on a bus.” So when you’re poor, you wait.