Comment 39736

By zippo (registered) | Posted April 13, 2010 at 15:33:49

Moylek: I'd say you are 1/2 right; Cooking from scratch is inexpensive compared to the alternative, and to you who are apparently a employed systems analyst, and a landlord of student housing, it is no doubt also "cheap". Buts lets compare its cost to the income of the unemployed.

The Cities public health department puts the groceries cost for a "healthy" diet for an adult at around $40 per week, or $2080 per year. That is based almost entirely on a "cooked from scratch" menu. A single person on Ontario Works ("Welfare") has a "basic needs" allowance of $221 per month above their "housing allowance", or $2652 per year.

Wow, a $572 per year surplus. Now mind you there are a number of things that $1.56 per day needs to cover: Clothing, cleaning supplies, laundry, toiletries and grooming, transportation, anything medical not covered by OHIP etc. etc. etc.

This of course assumes that all housing related expenses (rent + utilities) are covered by the shelter allowance portion of the cheque, which is an additional $364 per month. That's less than the cost of a room at the YMCA or a bedroom in a "student" house downtown though...

So really I don't think "cheap" is the right word, but maybe I'm missing something

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