On Wed, 12 Dec 2007 16:09:11 -0500, Sabrina Kilian wrote:

> There are other up front costs that you missed, that would prevent a
> family just teetering on the edge of money problems would not be able to
> afford. Cookware is one, storage of the food is probably a bigger one.

One of my best friends (and former boss once upon a time) for a long time 
wasn't able to afford housing - the only way he had a place to live was 
because he took a position as a caretaker at an apartment complex - in 
addition to a job working fast food.

He's *finally* gotten out of that situation now, still working at the 
apartment, but now working jewelry retail (and doing fairly well at it, 
from what I have heard).

Cookware and food storage were a problem for a while, but there's plenty 
of ways which that can be overcome; you don't need all-clad cookware to 
prepare home-cooked meals.  Sure, it's nice, and it's shiny, and the 
stuff lasts forever if you take care of it (we've got some here).  But 
you can purchase a simple frying pan for under $5 that'll last you a 
while.

> Let's say the family actually eat like most people I know, they can
> stand the same food for a day or two, but a week of hamburgers would get
> on their nerves. Where do they store 5lbs of beef? If they take
> advantage of good prices, they need to store the groceries some place.
> They need a freezer to store all of that in, and the small fridges they
> probably had before kids just won't cut it for storing enough food for a
> family of 4 or 5. The obvious cost of a new fridge or a separate deep
> freeze, along with the electrical costs, outweigh the hidden savings of
> fast food.

Most of the people I know who have struggled (myself included) at some 
point in their lives have had a fridge.  Many live in apartments, and 
appliances tend to be included as part of the rent.

For a really interesting look at this, check out Morgan Spurlock's "30 
Days" - in the first season, he and his wife lived on minimum wage for a 
month just to see how difficult it was.

It was difficult, but not impossible - and as they looked at their 
budget, eating out even at McDonald's was too expensive.

> Add to that the cost of cookware. I know families who get by with less
> cookware then I would have believed possible. 1 or 2 fry pans, a small
> pot and a slighter bigger one. To fix burgers like this, they need a
> meat grinder at least. How many meals till it breaks even for them? If
> they consider eating out at McD as a special once in a while event, how
> many weeks or months would it take for them to recoup that cost? 

So they buy pre-ground beef instead of grinding it themselves.  It adds a 
little to the cost, but if you don't have the equipment, over time, it 
still will work out better.  Even if they buy a single pound of beef and 
work with that.

> Add to
> that the cost of a CostCo membership*, and freezer to store bulk food
> in.

Yes, Costco membership is a $50 cost minimum; I used that as an example, 
but you can get similar deals at the local grocery store (not as low of 
prices, but sometimes close if you catch things at the right time).  Buy 
in bulk with friends (I know some families who have done that in the 
past).

The cost "savings" received by eating the garbage at McDonald's (or any 
fast food resturaunt) is offset by much larger medical expenses down the 
road - sometimes sooner rather than later.

> *guessing here. There isn't a CostCo around here. I've heard they are a
> membership type store, like SamsClub. The local grocery store charges
> more then 3$ lbs for decent beef, Wal-mart charges less but I've never
> seen anything there that looked eatable.

I wouldn't shop at Wallmart if it was the last place on the planet to buy 
stuff.  Or Sams Club, for that matter.  They're part of the problem, not 
the solution - if anyone thinks different, try talking to some of the 
underpaid employees sometime.

Jim

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