Hi. The assignment below is divided into two parts. Part ONE consists of creating a discussion post, while Part TWO consists of responding to two colleagues. Pls use the Learning Resources provided to complete work.

Learning Resources

Defining Poverty/ Overview

Do you have an image of what it means to live in poverty? Perhaps your image is formed by depictions in literature, on television, or in political rhetoric. Perhaps you have a personal experience with living below the poverty threshold. If you don't have personal experience trying to "get by," do you know where the poverty line lies?

For this Discussion, you visit the website of the Economic Policy Institute to understand what it might take to make ends meet for your own family if experiencing poverty.

References

Gould, E., Mokhiber, Z., & DeCourcy, K. (2024, January 31). What constitutes a living wage? A guide to using EPI's family budget calculatorLinks to an external site.. Economic Policy Institute. https://www.epi.org/publication/epis-family-budget-calculator

• Economic Policy Institute. (n.d.). Family budget calculatorLinks to an external site.. https://www.epi.org/resources/budget
• Fisher, G. M. (1997).The development and history of the U.S. poverty thresholdsA brief overviewLinks to an external site.. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. https://aspe.hhs.gov/history-poverty-thresholds
  • This article discusses the history and definition of the U.S. "poverty threshold," which is sometimes called the "poverty line." Technically, the poverty threshold is used by the Census Bureau for statistical purposes and the "poverty guideline" is used by the DHHS to determine program eligibility.
• U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. (n.d.). Poverty guidelinesLinks to an external site.. https://aspe.hhs.gov/topics/poverty-economic-mobility/poverty-guidelines
• U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. (n.d.). Frequently asked questions related to the poverty guidelines and povertyLinks to an external site.. https://aspe.hhs.gov/topics/poverty-economic-mobility/poverty-guidelines/frequently-asked-questions-related-poverty-guidelines-poverty

Part ONE

To prepare:

• Visit the Economic Policy Institute (EPI) website listed in the Learning Resources. The EPI has developed a formula to determine what it takes for a family to "make ends meet," taking into account family size and place of residence.
• Begin by reading about the assumptions on which the institute bases its calculations of a basic family budget.
• Next, use EPI's basic family budget calculator to find out what the group would estimate it would cost your family size to live in your area.

Discussion Post Prompt:

• Describe the EPI's estimation of what it costs your family to live in your area.
• Describe what you or your family would have to give up to live within the EPI's budget.
• Explain how easy or hard it would be to give those things up.
• Determine if the definition of what constitutes poverty is realistic.
  • For example, is the poverty line too low? Is it too high? How would your life change, and is it plausible to maintain key aspects of your life when living below the poverty line?

P.S. I live in a small town called Wylie. Wylie is in Dallas, Texas, Collin County.

Part TWO

Respondto two colleagues:

• Compare the differences in cost of living between your colleague's calculations and yours.

Use the Learning Resources to support your posts.

Colleague 1

Describe the EPI's estimation of what it costs your family to live in your area.

In Yellowstone county Montana the monthly total that was calculated was $5979 with an annual income of $71,747. I did a comparison of what it truly is in my household. There was a difference of $28,766. My income is much less then calculated and I am blessed that my housing is less by 400, food less by 200, I do not have to pay child care (thank goodness, that saves me 976), transportation is 350 less, health care is 315 less and other and taxes stayed about the same.

Describe what you or your family would have to give up to live within the EPI's budget.

As for giving up I, I would not be giving things up as I already live below the limit. I have been a single mother that works multiple jobs to provide. I am now a foster to a two-year-old, and we don't need or want much, and I am able to provide a comfortable life for me and her. I know that the cost of living is a struggle in this county and many will resort to living on the streets.

Explain how easy or hard it would be to give those things up.

This would not be hard for me to do as I live a simple life now. I would be lying if I said I would not like to have the extra $28,000, however if you don't have it then you won't miss it.

Determine if the definition of what constitutes poverty is realistic.

I honestly believe that the poverty line in my community is too high. I don't live without and we still shop and travel and have fun. I do not think that I am in poverty I think I live in my means. I prepare and make plans to provide for each of my children, grand children, and my needs. I do struggle with the totals that I was provided.

Colleague TWO

Housing- $986

Food-$949

Child Care- $1,710

Transportation- $1,440

Healthcare- $1,443

Other necessities- $651

Taxes- $908

Monthly Total- $ 8,087

Annual Total- $ 97,048

To live within the EPI's $97,048 budget, my family would need to cut back on dining out, vacations, and entertainment. We might have to downsize our home, rely on older vehicles, and limit spending on extracurricular activities. Saving for retirement or upgrading technology would also become difficult, requiring us to focus mainly on essential needs. Giving up these things would be hard at first, especially the comforts and conveniences we're used to. But over time, we could adjust by focusing on simpler pleasures and essential needs.

The current poverty line is often too low to reflect the true cost of living, especially in areas with high housing, childcare, and healthcare costs. It doesn't account for regional differences or modern necessitates like internet access. Living below the poverty line would change my life-I'd struggle to afford stable housing, healthy food, transportation, and basic healthcare. Maintaining key aspects of my current lifestyle like education, savings, or family activities, would be nearly impossible. Overall, the poverty line underestimates what it truly takes to meet a family's basic needs today.