>I try to convey to her that at some point time is money. Meaning that she needs to evaluate the opportunity cost of saving a dollar versus spending 2-3 hours t

>I try to convey to her that at some point time is money. Meaning that she needs to evaluate the opportunity cost of saving a dollar versus spending 2-3 hours to save that dollar. If you don't have realistic prospects of finding a good full-time job and taking on part-time or casual work would result in a loss of welfare benefits, the value of your time is essentially nil. "Working" for 33 cents an hour to find good deals may be the best option available. Your friend isn't necessarily acting rationally, but she isn't necessarily acting irrationally either. If you've never been poor, it's difficult to understand just how many practical obstacles poor people face on a daily basis.