I haven't (yet) had the need to rely on government benefits, but I grew up in a rural town with a "gilded" quality of class division. The most poor people I kne

I haven't (yet) had the need to rely on government benefits, but I grew up in a rural town with a "gilded" quality of class division. The most poor people I knew would honestly save up two weeks to eat out at Subway. It gave me a lot of perspective to see that what was my staple lunch-break food could actually be a luxury to another family. Obviously, anecdotes don't prove the point, but of the families I've known in that situation, you are completely right. They were far more focused on getting their kids to school with full stomachs than fancy electronics or other status symbols.