At that rate the only way to pay her rent was to get a second job. With such a schedule she could not, of course, keep her decent housing so far from town. So much for waitressing in Florida. On to Maine and scrubbing floors. And soon, even with two jobs and no children to support, Ehrenreich starts having money trouble.
Housing is the killer.
She foresees a weekend without food unless she can find charitable help. Minneapolis is Ehrenreich's last stop. In this city, as in the other two, finding affordable housing was a major problem. 36 units available for every 100 families in need. Like many of the poor, Ehrenreich is reduced to an overpriced motel, more like a flophouse in terms of cleanliness and safety.