Underpaid, Underemployed

“Everything’s gone up. Rent went up, gas went up, food went up, milk went up, cheeseburgers went up, even cigarettes went up,” said Mr. Chea, who had stopped at the barbershop to spiff up before his job interview. “I’m used to getting a haircut for $6 or $7, but they charged me $9. Even haircuts have gone up.”

The Times has a story this morning about how difficult it is to continue to pay for things when wages are stagnant and inflation continues to do its thing. As you can imagine, people who are earning money, but are underemployed, are finding it very difficult to make ends meet.

I can sympathize. A few years ago, when I was a perpetually underemployed and underpaid freelancer, I actually picked up a gig driving a truck around New York City to deliver newspapers to make the extra cash I needed to get the bills paid.

“We don’t have any freelance assignments, at the moment,” I was told, “unless you’re interested in delivering papers.”

I took the gig, to the amusement of the editor. You gotta do what you gotta do sometimes.

Photo: Shutterstock/terekhov igor

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