Robyn’s job is very demanding – but the most frustrating part is her uniform. Her paychecks are barely enough to scrape by, especially when you take into account how much she has to keep paying to replace her cheap uniform, which her employer forces her to buy herself!
Ironically, it's very expensive to be poor.
Low-income people like Robyn have to buy cheap, lower-quality pieces of clothing – and they wear out quickly, meaning they have to be bought again. People with more disposable income can invest in high-quality garments that last for a lifetime – and in the long run, they spend less even though they buy more expensive items!
It’s not just clothes, either.
Being poor is expensive in other ways. Higher-quality home goods and appliances, electronics, and food are often out of reach for low-income people – but actually save you money in the long run. Cheap or knock-off products typically break much more quickly, and have to be repurchased.
Having to use public transportation and lower-quality housing can also cost us some of our other most precious luxuries – time and health.
Workers like Robyn labor all day, often with nothing to show for it except for dwlinding bank accounts. Capitalism as a system punishes poor people for being poor – thus keeping them trapped in poverty.