They truly believe that you can live on a little over $800 a month. I'm being sued for wage garnishment right now and was looking into my options, and the federal government for wage garnishment allows everything over $217 a week to be taken to pay debt and if you can't afford to live off of $217 a week you have to file in court and prove why that causes you a hardship. I barely work 21 hours a week but I make $11 an hour so it's over $217 a week take home. I also am a full time student trying to desperately get a degree that will get me out of this shitty cycle of poverty. I am sole wage earner for my family, it's me my long term boyfriend and our 14 year old son. Boyfriend cannot work our son is special needs and one of us has to be with him at all times because of it. So how am I supposed to support a family of 3 on food stamps and $217 a week??? I don't have time or money to fight this or petition the courts. I never even knew I had a judgement against me! but again I can't afford the time or money to try and prove I wasn't properly served to fight the judgement.
Anyway the point of the post is no wonder the government thinks $7.25 an hour is fine. They truly think $217 a week is generous!