Why Poverty is Expensive

In an article for the Washington Post earlier this week, DeNeen L. Brown makes a conclusion about poverty that most people find surprising- "The poor pay more for things middle-class America takes for granted." Because most of them cannot afford cars, for example, they end up doing their shopping at the nearest corner grocery store. In poor neighborhoods, these stores often cannot survive unless they charge higher prices for their product. As a result, people end up having no choice but to pay an extra dollar on a gallon of milk or a loaf of bread, which can really add up. According to the Census Bureau, about 37 million people in the US live below the poverty line. A lot of those people work hard and struggle to earn a living, but it's not easy.
Source: Washington Post