Nickeled and Dimed in America Journal

January 17, 2013 In the selection "Nickeled and Dimed in America" the author talks about the struggles that a maid faces every day. How they make minimal money to follow absurd rules and get treated like a second hand citizen daily. They would not be able to smoke before work, or during work, curse, even if there is no one in the house. The maid service companies would also charge 25 dollars, the maids would only make $6.65 for each hour that they have worked. For the amount of work that a maid, or someone who works inside cleaning a house does, they deserve a lot more than just $6.65 and hour, which no one can make a life off of that anyways. In today's society, people work really hard, and receive practically nothing. I know it is literally impossible to live off of a minimum wage paying job, especially where I am from in New Jersey. I used to work for Sears, making only $7.25 an hour, not receiving benefits, working horrible hours, and doing twice the amount of work that I am getting paid for. Granted I did live with my parents, but I tried really hard to become independent and make my own money. It is really hard to do especially when half of the money you earn gets taken away with taxes. I experience first hand what being poor is all about. People working obscene jobs, just so they can put food on the table for their family. Not necessarily is it their fault they do not have a job too. My Uncle is disabled, and yeah he receives money, but not enough to put his two kids in college. Just recently they lost their home to Hurricane Sandy which pulverize the Jersey shore. Now all of these people around the area are out of homes, jobs, and missing family members, etc. Seaside Heights was a place where many people would work because there were always job opportunities there in the summer. From the bars to the boardwalk to being a lifeguard or a beach badge checker. There were so many local business' there that are now completely washed away, floating with the