May 16, 2009
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Poverty Experiment
one billion people live off of the buying power of $1.25 a day
three billion people (roughly half the population) live off of the buying power of $2.50 a day
these are statistics on paper. this shouldn’t be called the poverty experiment, it should be called the reality experiment. because half the world lives like this.
one month, $2.50 a day. and me. seeing what happens. i started May 8.
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if poverty is something serious–if the 27,000 children who die every day because of poverty–preventable causes–is important, then i need to do something about it.
“We can be the generation that no longer accepts that an accident of latitude determines whether a child lives or dies–but will we be that generation? will be in the West realize our potential or will we sleep in the comfort of our affluence with apathy and indifference murmuring softly in our ears?” –Bono
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Day 1: i’ve thought about this for a long time. i have talked about it for awhile. but it didn’t really become real until i was riding my bike with a backpack load of food and a box of oats balanced on my handlebars. bike–no car–how could i afford a car on $2.50 a day? all of that money is going towards my food. i made a list of what i needed and carefully calculated and it still was $19.21. So that food needs to last for 8 days.
Eggs, rice, beans, carrots, onions, lemon juice, chick peas, garlic, oats, corn tortillas, flour tortillas, peanuts, cheese, salsa, corn. that’s what i got. and only that.
Breakfast: granola (i made it from oats and nuts and traded for sugar, honey, and oil–from the natives–with eggs). If i am still hungry, i can make some eggs (normally with spinach).
Lunch: Hummus (i made it from chickpeas, peanuts, and lemon juice) with cheese and spinach (FREE from the garden. yes yes yes) wraps and carrots. (oh, and today i found left over chips and dip from Cinco De Mayo celebration in the lunchroom at Carson’s. free food. YEAH.)
Dinner: Rice and beans and salsa with corn and tortillas (except not tonight, because i forgot to cook the beans. they take HOURS to cook. so i ate a spinach salad with onions and cheese.).
It takes me 30 minutes to ride my bike to work (Carsons). but then it takes me another 15 minutes to change into the right clothes, and another 15 minutes to stop sweating. Suddenly, the weather is really important. it makes the difference of a happy Rachel, or a wet, soppy Rachel who has mud splatters up her back and has to wash her legs in the sink of the employee bathroom.
Day 2: Sometimes i think i am using this experiment to try to reconcile Brasil and the USA. i wonder if it will work.
everything seems to take more time. i have to know what i need to do for the day, and plan backwards to make sure i have time to do it.
Things i take for granted and make this experiment unrealistic (but NOT invalid):
1. Free house. all that $2.50 goes to food. i have a free, healthy place to stay including kitchen appliances to make and store my food, bathroom and supplies like toilet paper and shampoo and all those girly things, internet and telephone access, and personal belongings, like clothes out the wazoo and laundry facilities (ok. i admit it. my mom does my laundry).
2. Ideal situations: i picked a month of (hopefully) good weather, where biking is possible. i also waited until after i finished the school semester so i had more time for it. I am also in great health, probably the in the best shape i’ve ever been in. i am single, so am not responsible for anyone else.
3. Opportunities: i am already established in life. i have a great education and training for life.
4. Community: i have a family, and great friends who support me, love me, and let’s face it–would never let me starve. so in the end, i will never have a realistic experience with poverty. ever. booo.
5. Choice: i have the choice to do this…and when to stop. and so many other choices that come up a million times a day. choices that those living on $2.50 a day do not have.
Day 3: my choices are more limited. after working and riding my bike home, i am tired and sweaty and unsocial. i feel more economical…like when i flushed the toilet and for the first time in my life, wondered where all that crud went, and just how much we (the West) use resources–so many resources–for our convenience. one American consumes in one day what 520 Ethiopians use in a day.
Today was Mother’s day. i already had a present for mom, but what if i hadn’t? i wouldn’t have any money to buy her one. it is such a big deal to be able to GIVE. to buy something from the money you worked hard to earn and then hand it to someone you love. such a privilege. that so many do not have. oh–and my mom saved me strawberries for dinner. free food makes my world go round.
Day 4: John bought me a Kiwi. it was the most perfect Kiwi in the world. i miss fruit the most of anything. little presents make me happy!
Day 5: Dad took me out to Qdoba’s. my favoritest place in the world. i am making the burrito last for two meals.
Confessions: i’ve been stealing milk from the natives. just enough to make the granola go down. i also swipe some tea bags at night. and the soi sauce, taco sauce, and salt and pepper packets from restaurants make food taste much better.
The car…ok. i used the car today. drove 70 miles to be able to hang out with Erica (who now lives in Fishers) and Sara. balancing the project with remembering this is my last month living at home before Brasil is important. it is amazing to be able to cover all those miles with just a little tap of your foot.
Day 6: i have a $10 library fine. that made me depressed and feel like “fffffibit, there went the experiment. that is like four days of food.” so i decided that doesn’t count. grrr. Dad had to drive me to work today–it was storming something awful. rain is disabling. it makes me feel weak. because i can’t do it alone.
Most of my friends, most everyone i know in Brasil lives off of $2.50 a day. Minimum wage in Brasil is $200 a month, $7 a day (rounding up). So if the guy works, has a wife and one kid (most have more), they are living like this…$2.50 a day. They are the statistic.
and then you have here–where i make more in one hour what they make in a day. where i was given a car, have a full refrigerator, internet, toilet paper, and all those things only mothers remember to buy. i can buy lemonade when i am thirsty (Chick-fil-a has the best lemonade in the WORLD), and can buy something in the store when i like it. i feel empowered when i earn money–i save it and tithe it–saying “here God, here’s some of your money back.”
Day 7: My friends invited me to go to Chicago for the day–i was so excited and then i almost said no. because yes i wanted to, but with no money? could it be done? i told them about the experiment, and they said they were covering gas and parking. So i packed my granola, hummus wraps, carrots, and rice and beans and went. it was perfect. We walked to Millennium park, Sears tower (but not $14.50 to go up. gosh), Chinatown, Navy Pier, and then dinner at Uno’s where they shared this amazing deep dish Chicago style pizza with me. life is good.
Day 8: $14.74 for groceries this week. i am getting better. plus i had some left over from last week. And this week, i was able to get applesauce (i was CRAVING applesauce), sour cream (it makes rice and beans taste sooo much better), and noodles. i got the curly noodles even if they were a little more expensive. because i like them better. And i said “YESSSSSS!” when the eggs were $.89 instead of $.99. now i notice things like that.
Day 9 (Saturday May 16): So i am evaluating the first part of this experiment. and i like it.
Comments (33)
Keep it up, I’d really like to see how all of this goes, and your final thoughts.
That’s amazing. Good luck.
fantastic reading, very interesting.
i think it is too awesome that you are doing this.
…this is amazing.
This was really interesting. I can’t wait to hear more.
Awesome. Awesome awesome.
keep up the good work. Are you shopping at a regular store or a bent and dent store. You can get food cheaper at a bent and dent store. That is good for being frugal.
What a great thing to do! I’m looking forward to seeing how the rest of the month goes
That is a great experiment. Things like that can really open your eyes.
This is fascinating, but I have to ask: aren’t goods in impoverished areas priced accordingly? I’d bet that your $2.50 could buy you quite a bit more there.
Having lived in a country where poverty is the name of the game….this blog did not come as a surprise. Anyway, thanks for the additional info.
When a girlfriend an I were “bottom feeders” we discovered that yogurt could be made from powdered milk. Yogurt, rice, and beans were our staple until we had some increase in our income. I belive that 3 of us ate for near the amount you have selected. Oh I almost forgot. I went to the local grocery and begged for the unuseable produce (they usually toss it). I would mix chopped veggies with good ole Top Raman and make a sort of stew. The kids named it “four bowl” because they ate four bowls of it the first time I made it. One of the “day old” bread stores was within walking distance. Creativity can keep you alive if there are a minimum of recources available.
Why are you going to Brazil?
@Tom@revelife - the plan is to write once a week or so…:) hopefully it all goes well!
@baconlicious112 - thanks!
@JadedJanissary - i actually journaled a million things more, and then just picked the main ideas…it is going better than i’d thought!
@MySecretLoveAffair - i thought it would be super hard, but now that i am doing it, it is pretty basic. thanks for reading!
@they_call_me_steffyjean - i’ll probably do an update every week? or so…
@Kristenmomof3 - i am lucky enough to live in biking distance of Aldi’s. which is pretty cheap. we don’t have a bent and dent store in biking distance:(.
@rwinzeler - Good. <3 Can’t wait.
@ShamelesslyRed - it is amazing! you should try it yourself!:)
@echois23 - i’ll say. it makes day to day things…look different.
@grammarboy - actually, from what i have read, they say that number is based on already taking into account the different prices within that community. now, they could be totally wrong…but speaking from what i know…living in Brasil–the day to day costs, really were NOT that different, even after changing from dollars to Reis.
@Norcani - where did you live?
We live here in the Philippines, a third-world, although we prefer to call it a developing country.
@hapax23 - ”four bowl” sounds amazing!:) my family has some fun stories growing up and finding many ways to use whatever was available…and i am so much better off for it–just as your kids are. i teach English in Brasil (i’ve lived there a total of 2 and a half years now), but this time i am going to be working more with the poorest children in the communities. it has been a long time coming, but i am now almost fluent in Portuguese, so i can really work within the community, instead of just teaching English. i am going to Brasil because i love it. and then we will see from there.
@Norcani - are you involved in working with poverty?
Before. I used to head the social service department in the organization from 1986-1994. Anyway, today, time and again there are those who would ask for referrals, thinking I am still with the department.
Very cool! This is something I should try… although I don’t think I could follow through.
Hello, I am currently living in Argentina.
lets see.. the Argentine peso is 1:3.70-3.75 to the US dollar…
a meal costs around 7 pesos if you get it at a decent price…
6 if you can negotiate it like a god/dess.
but even those are commodities. So, let me increase your budget. about 3U$S a day sounds about right.
Keep up the good work. let us know when you finish.
oh and Norcali has a good point, 2.5 in the US gets you a lot less bang for buck than in other places.
Kudos! This must be a very rewarding adventure………….
this is so beautiful. thank you for sharing it – it is not only fascinating reading about your efforts and your thoughts, it convicts me and makes me think. especially regarding the american mentality of entitlement and how much i let it creep in.
@spokenfor - thank you:)! it means a lot!