Your post, which I quote below, shows that in DC, on minimum wage, you can cover rent, utilities and bus fare for a family of four, and still have about $200 a

Your post, which I quote below, shows that in DC, on minimum wage, you can cover rent, utilities and bus fare for a family of four, and still have about $200 a month left for food. It's exactly my claim, plus I claim that the said $200 are enough to buy ingredients if you cook at home. Is it a great life? No. But it would be OK if you had an _average_ salary for the working person instead. If the person staying at home cooked, did groceries and spent time with the kids, those kids would probably have an even better life than one based on the XBox and microwave dinners. "As an example, the minimum wage in DC is $8.25, which yields $1320/month. The actual amount would be even lower after taxes, but let's even forget about that. About the absolute rock bottom price you'll pay for a room in this city is $600/month and that's assuming you're in a group living situation or a pretty bad neighborhood. Since a family of four will need two rooms to be even reasonably comfortable, maybe you luck out and grab a similarly crappy two-bedroom for $900/month. So now, you pay your rent, somehow keep your utilities hovering around $120/month (good luck with that) and you've got $300/month left. But wait, now you've got to get to work (and to the grocery store, etc.). Minimum bus fare in this city is $1.50. If you (and just you, not your kids or spouse) make a round trip every day plus, say, three extra trips a month, you will spend about $100. So now you've got $200 per month left to feed and clothe four people. But what about insurance? Savings? Unforeseen expenses? Doing something nice with your kids every now and again?"