Existence Isn’t Free; America’s New Nightmare

Wealth of Americans

Trying to be financially relaxed is difficult in America. According to Duke University, about 71% of Americans are significantly stressed about money. They fear for their ability to provide for their families, keep jobs, get an education, and support their lifestyles due to the weight of managing finances.

Especially now, with inflation up by 4.2%, and gas prices up almost 19% on average across the country, it’s no wonder people might be trying to be more conscious about their spending. Not only that, but many people aren’t getting paid enough to comfortably live with the increasing prices, leading people to make financial sacrifices.

Financial Stress

I make minimum wage at my part-time job that I’ve been at for seven months. I earn enough money to fill my car with gas and eat out a few times a week, but that’s only because I don’t have to pay any bills. If I weren’t a teenager living under my parents’ roof, I wouldn’t have enough to live. That’s the sad reality of the financial state in America; many people are trying to live off minimum wage. Over 44 million Americans are making less than $17 per hour.

Realizing the hardship of financial stress is something I have recently been confronted with. At only sixteen years old, I can already see how high gas prices and inflation are added stressors to families living off minimum wage. Personally, I am already worried about my financial future. It’s daunting to imagine how my generation will be able to afford a house, a car, college, and everything else that comes with being an adult.

So, we need to address this unjust imbalance of low wages and high living costs. College should be affordable. People should be able to go out and have fun. Families should be able to eat. We need to find solutions to make America more equitable. We must find ways to encourage financial balance.

American can do better. There shouldn’t be a cost to simply existing.

Sources: (Duke University), (US Bureau of Labor Statistics), (NBC News), (US Senate)