Primera Experiencia: ¿Cómo visualizan los estudiantes al humedal?

The issue of money or finances was common among all participants in the study.

Though money was an issue, the reasons why varied. Initially, it seemed that the most common issue to come out of the participants’ responses was that there was not enough money to

purchase food, but this was not always the case. While there were some financial insecurities such as having to live “paycheck to paycheck,” as some participants noted, others also mentioned the value for their money spent. Participants felt that some food stores that were easily accessible just did not satisfy them in terms of the amount of food they could purchase for a specified amount. As T. Hill, who considers herself relatively financially secure, notes:

T. Hill: I usually budget $50 a week for food but I can’t really get much with that amount if I go to that Whole Foods. I understand their food is supposed to be better and healthier, but I can’t afford that. I will either go to Kroger or Publix just up the street from that Whole Foods...well, that Kroger is closed now. And since it’s just me, I can get a good amount of stuff for $50. I’m just feeding one person. Some weeks I don’t even spend all of my budgeted grocery money, so that helps overall. I don’t necessarily live paycheck to paycheck and I think I’m actually okay with money. But it never hurts to have more, right?

T. Hill’s concerns were influenced more by the amount of food she could get for the dollar spent. While she does not consider herself to be struggling financially, money is always in the forefront of her mind and always something to be considered before any decision is made. T. Hill’s situation is very different than many other participants in the study; others do struggle more with their finances and the situation plays a bigger role in food purchasing.

W. Gardener makes less than $25,000 a year, works full-time, has a child, receives assistance for food, and helps pay bills for her mother, who also lives with her. W. Gard ener indeed lives paycheck to paycheck and usually keeps a strict shopping list, as she does not usually have money to spend on junk food.

W. Gardener: I actually prefer not to take my daughter with me sometimes because she asks for things that I can’t always get. She’s a good kid and I don’t think she’s spoiled or anything, but I still like to get her things. It’s just easier for her not to be with me so I don’t have to say no all the time. My mom will usually keep an eye on her when I go shopping. I get WIC and that helps a lot but I know I won’t have that forever. I wouldn’t be able to afford all that stuff on my income.

The federal program of WIC (Women, Infants, and Children) has an age restriction that will cut benefits off by the time her child reaches their fifth birthday. W. Gardener stresses thinking about what she will do when the benefits end, because she doesn’t see herself getting a higher paying job. She is essentially on a fixed income and it will become even more difficult in less than 2 years.

J. Johnson lives with his girlfriend and their child and they also rely on WIC to assist with their food purchases. Shopping usually occurs monthly when the vouchers are available and there is a somewhat strict budget regarding the other items that are not covered by WIC:

J. Johnson: We don’t really share our money but we each pay half of everything, or just pay for our own. She pays half the rent and utilities, and we might go grocery shopping together or she gets stuff when she gets her WIC. I sometimes just pick up whatever I know I might want to eat or need that night. Either way, we don’t usually spend that much on food because we really don’t have that much leftover to spend. We actually didn’t even move into this place together…she was having a hard time and I told her she could stay with me. She actually helps me get food now.

J. Johnson saw the need to mention that his girlfriend helps him get food because he sometimes did not think to go grocery shopping before living with her. Living by himself, he could

frequently get by on eating something quick and cheap, such as fast food. As he expressed later in the interview, having a loved one in the house with their child makes him think more about what types of food are made available. “It’s okay if I eat fast food all the time, but the kid doesn’t need to be eating that every day,” he expresses. J. Johnson also knows that these types of foods that he feels a child should be nourished from are more expensive than value meals he can get for himself. He has made the changes to his own finances in order to ensure his

girlfriend and her child get the foods they need, as much as he is able to, but it still does not leave much money.