The New York Times: For Many Cash-Strapped Americans, ‘Basic Living Has Become a Burden’
President Trump says that he has brought down inflation, but families are still struggling to pay bills and plan for the future.
For 13 years, Maribel McBeath has cleaned plane cabins at the airport in Charlotte, N.C. She earns $16.50 an hour, which is not enough to cover her expenses — about half goes to rent — or allow her to save for the future.
At 66, Ms. McBeath would like to be counting down to retirement. She had hoped that by now, she could regularly visit her family in Puerto Rico, explore new places and enjoy going out to dinner occasionally. But with a pile of medical bills and no cushion for a financial emergency, “I have to keep working,” she said.
Photo: Aviva W. walking down the aisles at the Jewish Community Services Kosher Food Bank in North Miami, Fla., last month. Credit Martina Tuaty for The New York Times