6 ms·

Might be off-topic, but in general, US is very harsh on poor people. Apart from healthcare, Two more things that are harsh on people that don't have money (lik

by tanin 7y ago

Might be off-topic, but in general, US is very harsh on poor people. Apart from healthcare, Two more things that are harsh on people that don't have money (like students) are: 1. You need a car, which costs thousands of dollars (depending on how much reliability you need). Then, if your car breaks down and you're poor, you're really fucked. 2. Eating out is a big expense (e.g. tip makes it worse). It's ridiculous that eating out every day in a month could cost as much as a round-trip flight to Thailand. You could also buy a macbook with that money. Back, in Thailand, when I was a college student, my allowance was $15 USD a week, and I ate out pretty much every meal. Most of semi-poor/average-income people in Thailand eat out. Granted, the food safety standard is way worse. But I'd still prefer that than spending time doing the cooking myself.

s_y_n_t_a_x 7y ago
If you live in a city, a car is much less needed, anywhere else, you're correct, it's a big expense. When I was poor my car always caused me money troubles. Insurance, tags, gas, breakdowns. If any of that goes out you pay more in fines. Eating out is a luxury. It's much much cheaper to buy groceries. Groceries are cheaper in the US than any country I've been to, including Thailand. I didn't try to eat natively though (bought cheese/beef/milk imported from Australia) When we eat out it's usually fast food or pick-up, we don't like eating in public. It's between $15-30 for both of us. Thailand it was cut in half, but we used Grab to deliver it to us. Japan we spend upwards of $50 for half the portions. You're comparing being poor in US vs Thailand. I'm sure you know the standard of poor is very different. Being poor in the US would be middleclass living at least in Thailand. tl;dr I disagree, being poor in America is a much more pleasant experience than being poor in many other countries.
- andbberger 7y ago
  Who are you to decide that?
  - s_y_n_t_a_x 7y ago
    People can decide whatever they want, but if they're wasting money on eating out when they don't have much money, I don't feel bad for them. I thought it was a common sentiment that eating out is something you do as a special occasion. I'm not here to tell people how to live their lives, but I've been on both sides of the poverty line. Eating in is a great way to save money. The exception is certain fast food places that are close to the same expense (value menu at McDonalds or Taco Bell) I'm beginning to think I'm an outlier here though. I don't really like food. I just want to not be hungry. I could eat the same thing for weeks. I usually skip lunch, I eat cheese and jerky every morning for breakfast, and one big homecooked meal for dinner.
- tanin 7y ago
  > Eating out is a luxury. This would be one difference. In Thailand, we eat out to fill our stomach. We usually don't consider it a luxury. We also don't care much about services. If anything, I am a bit annoyed about the high-touch service here. > It's between $15-30 for both of us. Thailand it was cut in half Half is still too expensive for Thais. A dish in an average air-conditioned mall (e.g. Tesco Lotus) would cost $1-$2 USD per dish. These dishes taste great as well. > tl;dr I disagree, being poor in America is a much more pleasant experience than being poor in many other countries. I agree with this statement. However, this pushes toward the all-or-nothing situation. You either have good experience or are screwed. There's nothing in between. Restaurants having high safety standard is great. But then there's no cheaper restaurant. Then, poor folks have to spend time cooking, which is gonna waste time and taste worse. One of my tidbits that illustrates the different quality of life between US and Thailand is that: I live in US for 6 years now, and I've never seen a cockroach here. In Thailand, I'd see one on the first day I arrive. This happens even if I stay in a high-end condo.
  - s_y_n_t_a_x 7y ago
    > This would be one difference. In Thailand, we eat out to fill our stomach. We usually don't consider it a luxury. We also don't care much about services. Wages are higher in America, so the getting service is going to be more expensive. However, food is very very very cheap compared to most countries. So yeah, it may not be a luxury in Thailand, but eating out is a luxury in the US because you're not paying for the food, you're paying for the service. Fast food is an option though if you really don't want to cook, but some people don't like that. I actually prefer home cooked meals, I think they taste better, but I'm lucky that my wife loves to cook. When I was single I was content heating up food. Food was the last thing I was worried about at the lowest point in my life. I ate corn dogs nearly every day because it took a minute to cook and a minute to eat and I could buy a 50 pack for next to nothing.
umeshunni 7y ago
I know it doesn't compare to Thailand/Asia, but in general eating out in the US is much cheaper than in Europe.
- deleted 7y ago
  [deleted]
refurb 7y ago
Are you seriously complaining about the cost of eating out in the US compared to a developed country? Talk about an insignificant problem.
- tanin 7y ago
  I wanted to point out how the cost of eating out compared to other expenses and income within a country. Thailand's cost of eating out is quite small compared to other expenses and income in Thailand. As the other comment explains it, eating out in US is seen as a luxury. In Thailand, not so much. I hope this helps clarify it.
  - jschwartzi 7y ago
    I would imagine it's a necessity in Thailand because you're significantly less likely to have access to a kitchen and you're much closer to a "communal kitchen" in the form of street food or a canteen. In the US because of strict zoning regulations restaurants are not usually allowed within walking distance of the communities they serve, and so any use of a restaurant must be treated as a special occasion. And because of similar zoning rules and apartment design standards the vast majority of living arrangements will come with a kitchen that is large enough to allow someone to prepare meals for at least themselves. You're actually pointing out a side-effect of how the US as a whole generally designs for sprawl and social isolation rather than for tight-knit communities like in Thailand.
    - tanin 7y ago
      I agree with every point here. And, wow, you did explain it very well!
bagacrap 7y ago
In some cases, you need a car. But there are also many cases where people perceive that they need a car, but really don't. It is indeed a problem that so many are willing to overspend on a car to avoid the horror of sitting on a bus or riding a bicycle.

by tanin 7y ago

s_y_n_t_a_x 7y ago

If you live in a city, a car is much less needed, anywhere else, you're correct, it's a big expense. When I was poor my car always caused me money troubles. Insurance, tags, gas, breakdowns. If any of that goes out you pay more in fines. Eating out is a luxury. It's much much cheaper to buy groceries. Groceries are cheaper in the US than any country I've been to, including Thailand. I didn't try to eat natively though (bought cheese/beef/milk imported from Australia) When we eat out it's usually fast food or pick-up, we don't like eating in public. It's between $15-30 for both of us. Thailand it was cut in half, but we used Grab to deliver it to us. Japan we spend upwards of $50 for half the portions. You're comparing being poor in US vs Thailand. I'm sure you know the standard of poor is very different. Being poor in the US would be middleclass living at least in Thailand. tl;dr I disagree, being poor in America is a much more pleasant experience than being poor in many other countries.

andbberger 7y ago
Who are you to decide that?
- s_y_n_t_a_x 7y ago
  People can decide whatever they want, but if they're wasting money on eating out when they don't have much money, I don't feel bad for them. I thought it was a common sentiment that eating out is something you do as a special occasion. I'm not here to tell people how to live their lives, but I've been on both sides of the poverty line. Eating in is a great way to save money. The exception is certain fast food places that are close to the same expense (value menu at McDonalds or Taco Bell) I'm beginning to think I'm an outlier here though. I don't really like food. I just want to not be hungry. I could eat the same thing for weeks. I usually skip lunch, I eat cheese and jerky every morning for breakfast, and one big homecooked meal for dinner.
tanin 7y ago
> Eating out is a luxury. This would be one difference. In Thailand, we eat out to fill our stomach. We usually don't consider it a luxury. We also don't care much about services. If anything, I am a bit annoyed about the high-touch service here. > It's between $15-30 for both of us. Thailand it was cut in half Half is still too expensive for Thais. A dish in an average air-conditioned mall (e.g. Tesco Lotus) would cost $1-$2 USD per dish. These dishes taste great as well. > tl;dr I disagree, being poor in America is a much more pleasant experience than being poor in many other countries. I agree with this statement. However, this pushes toward the all-or-nothing situation. You either have good experience or are screwed. There's nothing in between. Restaurants having high safety standard is great. But then there's no cheaper restaurant. Then, poor folks have to spend time cooking, which is gonna waste time and taste worse. One of my tidbits that illustrates the different quality of life between US and Thailand is that: I live in US for 6 years now, and I've never seen a cockroach here. In Thailand, I'd see one on the first day I arrive. This happens even if I stay in a high-end condo.
- s_y_n_t_a_x 7y ago
  > This would be one difference. In Thailand, we eat out to fill our stomach. We usually don't consider it a luxury. We also don't care much about services. Wages are higher in America, so the getting service is going to be more expensive. However, food is very very very cheap compared to most countries. So yeah, it may not be a luxury in Thailand, but eating out is a luxury in the US because you're not paying for the food, you're paying for the service. Fast food is an option though if you really don't want to cook, but some people don't like that. I actually prefer home cooked meals, I think they taste better, but I'm lucky that my wife loves to cook. When I was single I was content heating up food. Food was the last thing I was worried about at the lowest point in my life. I ate corn dogs nearly every day because it took a minute to cook and a minute to eat and I could buy a 50 pack for next to nothing.

umeshunni 7y ago

I know it doesn't compare to Thailand/Asia, but in general eating out in the US is much cheaper than in Europe.

deleted 7y ago
[deleted]

refurb 7y ago

Are you seriously complaining about the cost of eating out in the US compared to a developed country? Talk about an insignificant problem.

tanin 7y ago
I wanted to point out how the cost of eating out compared to other expenses and income within a country. Thailand's cost of eating out is quite small compared to other expenses and income in Thailand. As the other comment explains it, eating out in US is seen as a luxury. In Thailand, not so much. I hope this helps clarify it.
- jschwartzi 7y ago
  I would imagine it's a necessity in Thailand because you're significantly less likely to have access to a kitchen and you're much closer to a "communal kitchen" in the form of street food or a canteen. In the US because of strict zoning regulations restaurants are not usually allowed within walking distance of the communities they serve, and so any use of a restaurant must be treated as a special occasion. And because of similar zoning rules and apartment design standards the vast majority of living arrangements will come with a kitchen that is large enough to allow someone to prepare meals for at least themselves. You're actually pointing out a side-effect of how the US as a whole generally designs for sprawl and social isolation rather than for tight-knit communities like in Thailand.
  - tanin 7y ago
    I agree with every point here. And, wow, you did explain it very well!

bagacrap 7y ago

In some cases, you need a car. But there are also many cases where people perceive that they need a car, but really don't. It is indeed a problem that so many are willing to overspend on a car to avoid the horror of sitting on a bus or riding a bicycle.