Comments on: Review: Nickel and Dimed

By: Amy

Amy — Thu, 22 Jan 2009 20:51:26 +0000

Obviously, a book review can’t cover everything (nor should it). But I think there are a couple of things I remember from reading this years ago that I think are important. One is that Walmart keeps most of its employees on part-time work = no real medical benefits. All it takes is one broken arm to rack up thousands in medical bills. So that is something caused by “the system”, not by the person’s choice. That person might have diligently been saving up an emergency fund — boom, it’s gone.

I seem to also remember something in the section about waitressing where Ehrenreich kept applying for hotel room-cleaning jobs but being steered towards the waitressing because she is white and speaks unaccented English. I don’t recall whether the $ was better in waitressing or cleaning hotel rooms, but it was still interesting to note the “steering” of certain demographics towards specific jobs, even when they expressed interest in other jobs.

I tend to think these issues are never black and white. I think there are plenty of people at or below poverty level who are there because of bad choices, and plenty more there because of bad luck, or flaws in “the system.”

By: PChan

PChan — Wed, 14 Jan 2009 04:34:06 +0000

Trent, I just wanted to point out that Erenreich didn’t grow up middle class or upper middle class.

As far as your perceptions on the book, well, we definitely disagree. I don’t think she was playing on upper-class and middle-class guilt; I think she was point out an issue that is (unfortunately, still) invisible to many people.

@Michael–the people in the book spent a lot of money, but not because they “partied,” it actually costs a lot more to be poor. No first, last, and security? Then a more expensive weekly rental for you! And this rental is nowhere near a decent grocery store and/or there is no fridge/freezer space for food, so yes, there’s money spent on convenience food.

Given the fact that she was writing about the effects of welfare reform (and a lot of people who need public assistance have kids), the situation gets untenable.

@Ginny–ITA. I’m pretty frugal, but I still tire of the special snowflakeness of people who bleat about how they made such great choices and therefore, everyone who is poor obviously deserves it. How’s the weather up there on privilege mountain, people? Jeez.

By: Melissa

Melissa — Tue, 13 Jan 2009 20:51:17 +0000

While I make a comfortable living now (I know that’s relative), I spent eight years cleaning houses for the wealthy in Scottsdale and Paradise Valley, AZ in the 90’s. What I learned, while wading around on stranger’s bathroom floors on my hands and knees was this: the “wealthy” people I cleaned house for were “wealthy” because they worked hard. Not one of the hundreds of “rich” people I worked for over the eight years had inherited their money- I asked! They were all extremely frugal and hardworking (even in retirement) and SMART. Sure, there were a couple who were odd or eccentric, and one or two over the entire eight years were actual “jerks”… but the VAST majority were incredibly KIND and generous people. I treated them, and their homes, with absolute respect, worked hard physically, and showed up reliably, and delivered what I promised; in return, they always paid me what I asked (about $25/hour in the ’90’s), returned the same amount of respect I showed them, and in some cases were incredibly generous with gifts at holiday times. They were all devestated when I decided I’d had enough of slinging vacuums in and out of my car in 112 degree heat, and went to work in an office. Come to think of it, ten years later I’m really not making a whole lot more money now, just doing it with my mind instead of manually laboring. We all make our choices. Classism, whether perpetrated by the wealthy (looking down at WalMart-ians) or by the poor (resenting ‘the rich’ when they should be emulating their frugality and work ethic) is a ridiculous waste of time and is literally tearing our society apart, and Ehrenreich’s classism (and her own guilty rich-liberal bias) is showing- big time.

By: Mike

Mike — Sun, 11 Jan 2009 21:54:37 +0000

Trent, this book is often required reading for students at ODU here in Virginia. However the book is being used while teaching the students with a under pinning of why socialism is better in America. I’ve been very upset and in disgust since then with this book and those in academia who are using it to make those connections.

By: Carrick

Carrick — Fri, 31 Oct 2008 07:11:15 +0000

I would definitely say that this book does not merit a pass, but is rather a MUST READ–especially for middle-to-upper class people who have never had to make pennies doing such back-breaking labor for a living. It at the very least will give them the perspective of how “the other half lives”, which I think is a crucial perspective when going into the voting booth….

By: Betty Ann of New York City

Betty Ann of New York City — Sat, 01 Dec 2007 04:20:47 +0000

Hi. I read this books years ago. I loved it. It opens your eyes to how rough some have it (not fair at all). They work so hard and are generally be using by society.
I read last month Down and Out in Paris and London by George Orwell (an autobiography memoir of his life). I got it used in a book store (so good for the Environment too). Being frugal helps with the Environment.. have you written any articles on that? I have to look and see. Your Blog is terrific.. TERRIFIC. I need to save money for retirement and need motivation to becoming even more Frugal than I am.. (not cheap.. but Frugal).
Betty Ann

By: Ginny

Ginny — Fri, 16 Nov 2007 04:31:47 +0000

I worked for “the welfare” in two states, for many years, and as a result I have a great deal of familiarity with the lives of people who work for minimum wage. Also, I was a waitress and a shoe clerk before I went to college and later grad school, and half of my ancestors were very poor. The person who commented, oh so smugly, that these people are “stupid” and their circumstances are altogether the result of “poor choices,”is either very young or very ignorant or both.

By: Michael

Michael — Thu, 15 Nov 2007 17:15:19 +0000

I read this in high school like I think another poster commented. Here is my opinion: I think The Simple Dollar missed the inherent value of this book as a financial tool and Barbara Ehrenriech missed it too. Anyone can save money because even the poor mentioned in the book spend LOTS of money. They do live pay check to pay check, but as she said, they still party.
Also most of the “crisis” in the book could be solved if the workers saved even a small amount for little emergencies. Those two ideas are the values inherent in the book.

By: Katy

Katy — Tue, 13 Nov 2007 14:45:05 +0000

And secretaries don’t need flowers, they need money. How about a gift card?

By: Katy

Katy — Tue, 13 Nov 2007 14:44:03 +0000

Everyone deserves courteous and respect.

>>the places she worked at targeted working class, student, and lower middle class diners, meaning that the tips were low and some of the patrons were quite demanding.

By: Mrs. Micah

Mrs. Micah — Fri, 12 Oct 2007 19:07:17 +0000

I think after reading it I treated service people–whether at stores or cleaners–better. Because making ends meet is hard enough without having to deal with rude people. This includes being friendly with the cleaners’ if they’re at my parents when I visit. My mom gets cleaning done twice a month because she has terminal cancer and often doesn’t have enough energy for the bigger jobs. And my dad works all day. She’s quite nice to them as well, treats them like real people.

By: Jenny

Jenny — Sat, 04 Aug 2007 15:36:37 +0000

I just read this review when you posted a link in today’s review about “The Overspend American”. I am really surprised you wanted to see some personal finance lessons in this book. This book is about how she navigated the world in the low-wage labor market, a social commentary mostly about the way the system stacks the odds against the very poor. I just don’t think it is very fair to review it as a personal finance book.

I personally did not like the book very much at all, either. I think there are much better books about poverty and the low-wage labor market.

By: Jennifer

Jennifer — Fri, 11 May 2007 18:35:29 +0000

I loved reading this book and found it really interesting. How anyone could use this to help better understand financial strategies is beyond me. This is a commentary on society. The author approaches it from her life and rights about it with that lense. I don’t think she should be faulted for her conclusions.

By: Paul Strauss

Paul Strauss — Wed, 09 May 2007 21:11:04 +0000

This book is completely useless as a book on personal finance unless, as you weakly eluded to a reader needs a kind of “scared straight” because they don’t already know you can’t build a comfortable middle class lifestyle with no education, and/or ambition beyond clerking and waiting tables.

I’ll grant you it was well written– good thing, too. It was far more useful as poetry than financial insight.

It grated on me, too, because the author nearly completely focuses on people trying to live life working one or more low paying, low skill jobs. Like someone once said- life’s tough, but it’s tougher if you’re stupid. The author treads very lightly on the consequences of poor choices and seems focuses heavily on blaming ‘the system’ aka the shining becon of economic success that is America. Yes, there are flaws, but on the whole individuals in this country are largely responsible for their own success, or failure.

Paul Strauss
Founder & President, Windy City Round Table

By: MGS

MGS — Wed, 18 Apr 2007 17:34:29 +0000

Thanks.
It was very helpful for my research paper!!