The challenge is in American Dollars!
But now a little rant…
Look, I know the challenge might seem easy for American people, but take into consideration that I’m not from America, I’m from Mexico and to put things in context…
In my country, one dollar is approximately ONE FIFTH of the minimum wage.
Minimum wage in México: $102 MXN
Converted: $5.22 USD
With the minimum wage, according to OCC Mundial we can buy:
- 1 l of oil: $1.33 USD
- 1 kg of rice: $0.72 USD
- 1 kg of sugar: $1.54 USD
- 1 kg of black beans: $1.02 USD
- 1 kg of bananas: $0.61 USD
Total: $5.22 USD
OR
- Half a kg of steak: $3.33 USD
- Half a kg of avocado: $1.02 USD
- 1 kg of rice: $0.72 USD
- Half a kg of orange: $0.23 USD
Total: $5.3, meaning you’ll be in debt for $15 MXN or $0.8 USD
Now this is not even counting the bills, credits debt, card debt, in some cases rent, baby stuff, gasoline, savings, etc, etc.
Now, personally, I make around $409.39 USD (yes, every cent counts), my husband makes around $158.64. Together we make $568.03 USD A MONTH and we have been spending all of our money on debt, food, baby stuff, bills, etc.
I would need at least $767.59 USD to make a comfortable living. Do you see how something doesn’t seem right here? Now, this is just my personal scenario where, luckily for me, I have a mom and a mother-in-law who help me out if I run out of food. They’re the best people.
But what about the people on our country who need to work 8 to 12 hours just to make enough to feed their entire family with just $5.22 dollars? Man, that’s fucking rough.
Now, let’s do some math.
5.22 daily x 24 days a month = $125.28 USD
How much did I told you my family needed to live comfortably? $767.59
Now let that sink for a bit.
I work a total of 29 hours a week.
The common rate of hours worked in a week is 48 hours.
I consider myself not only lucky, but privileged.
Now tell me again people are poor because that’s the life they’ve chosen. Tell me again that they should work harder if they don’t want to be poor. Believe me, buddy, they’re working their asses off and some won’t ever be able to make more than $767.59 a month ever. Because that’s just how unfairly paid we can get in Mexico.
And don’t come with that BS of «well, just get another job» tell me… What would you chose being in this position? A job that is at walking distance, thus won’t make you spend money on public transportation OR a job that requires you to travel to the other side of the city just to make a few extra bucks that at the end you spend on public transportation.
Mommy's Oddities 