It can be tough conceptualizing poverty.
This is especially true when you’ve never been at risk of going without a meal or losing a home from missed rent payments.
It’s like the idea of getting a car repossessed because you were late on that bill while trying to keep the electricity from turning off in your tiny apartment. I’ll admit, my lower middle class upbringing was full of privilege when I see the pain and suffering in the eyes of those who had less than I did, and still do. There was one time in college when I remembered that I had to carefully select whatever groceries were necessities while putting back items one by one. This might have happened at most twice in my life, while for some people this is a norm whenever they go into a store. When I had to buy a new air conditioner for my house, I was upset about the immense financial burden, but otherwise there was little effect to my life. I had a savings account with enough money in it to buy two air conditioners if I desired, mainly because I have a job with a generous income. For those who are not as lucky as I am, thankfully my HVAC supplier offers financing options that involve different types of payment plans to suit your needs or situation. So if you were living paycheck to paycheck and you suddenly needed a new central air conditioner for your house, you could still get a new system and just pay a monthly fee instead of going without indoor climate control for an indefinite period of time. This is a lifesaver for those struggling in poverty.