tip earnings, her current income won't cover her expenses. Her primary concern is housing, and she describes the various challenges her colleagues at Hearthside face in this area. Some live with family or partners, others share spaces with multiple roommates, and some live in their cars or rent hotel rooms nightly. Ehrenreich finds the latter option impractical and mentions this to Gail, who is contemplating leaving her roommate to move into a room at the Days Inn. Gail points out that she cannot afford an apartment without a month's rent and deposit upfront—something unfeasible on her salary and only manageable for Ehrenreich because she began her experiment with $1,300 in savings.

Looking for additional income, Ehrenreich takes a second job as a waitress at Jerry's, a family restaurant connected to a motel chain. Although busier than Hearthside, Jerry's is a grimy establishment lacking a staff break room and proper hand-washing facilities for employees. The one solace for workers appears to be smoking, with cigarettes perpetually lit for quick puffs between orders. On her first day, Ehrenreich feels hurt by her coworkers' aloofness but learns it is because most people don't last more than a day at this job.

Ehrenreich is determined to juggle both jobs at Hearthside and Jerry's but finds the fatigue overwhelming and decides to stay at Jerry's. Working at Jerry's is exhausting, and she approaches each shift as a one-time emergency. Unfortunately, she also has to contend with work-related pain, including the resurgence of an old back injury. When she briefly returns to her normal life, she feels increasingly detached from the "real" Barbara Ehrenreich and her relatively luxurious lifestyle.

Ehrenreich forms friendships with some of the staff at Jerry's, including a young Czech dishwasher named George, to whom she teaches English. She also decides to relocate to a trailer park closer to Key West to save time and fuel, making it feasible to take on a second job. The situation at Jerry's deteriorates when George is accused of stealing from the dry-storage room. Ehrenreich doesn't defend him, a change in her behavior that deeply disturbs her.

She takes on a second job as a housekeeper for the hotel connected to Jerry's. She is paired with a woman named Carlie for training. Ehrenreich finds some comfort in cleaning hotel rooms by watching television. She leaves her housekeeping position to serve tables at Jerry's, but the night goes poorly. Jesus, the cook, is overwhelmed by the influx of orders, and Ehrenreich struggles when four tables arrive at once. She quits mid-shift and doesn't return, regretting only that she didn't give George her tips.

Two: Scrubbing in Maine

For her next experiment, Ehrenreich selects Maine, where she can blend in as a low-wage worker without standing out as a minority. She arrives on a Tuesday and checks into a Motel 6. After some searching, she finds an apartment at the Blue Haven Motel, where she can move in on Sunday.

She applies for several jobs, taking personality tests at both Wal-Mart and The Maids, a cleaning service. Two days later, she receives two job offers: a weekend position as a dietary aide at the Woodcrest Residential Facility nursing home and a weekday job at The Maids. She accepts both. Starting work at Woodcrest on Saturday, she finds that her role involves serving meals and cleaning up afterward. She befriends Pete, a cook, but chooses to keep her distance when he shows romantic interest.

On Monday morning, Ehrenreich begins her job at The Maids by watching training videos on the company's cleaning policies. She notices the focus on creating an orderly appearance rather than true cleanliness, highlighted by the minimal water used for cleaning. The next day, she finds that the work pace is much faster than shown in the videos, with a set time allocated per house based on size and whether it requires special attention as a first-time clean. Her co-workers don't face the same housing challenges as those in Key West, but many are still living on the brink of poverty.

On Friday, one of her team's assignments is the home of Mrs. W, who watches Ehrenreich as she scrubs the kitchen floor on her hands and knees. Ehrenreich develops a rash but is unsure of its source; additionally, the physical strain of her job takes a toll on her body. She reflects on the physically demanding nature of maid work and the extravagant homes she is tasked with cleaning.

By her second week, Ehrenreich consistently works under team leader Holly. One day, when Holly appears unwell, she confides in Ehrenreich that she might be pregnant. Ehrenreich attempts to take on more tasks to alleviate Holly's burden. Although Holly resists, she does accept some food. While cleaning a kitchen at one house, Ehrenreich accidentally breaks a fishbowl, causing water to spill everywhere. Her first week's wages are withheld due to The Maids' policy, prompting her to reach out to various agencies for free groceries. That weekend, while working as a dietary aide at Woodcrest, she is solely responsible for the Alzheimer's ward.

In her third week with The Maids, Holly suffers a knee injury. Ehrenreich threatens to stop working and discusses getting help for Holly with her employer, Ted, but both Ted and Holly refuse assistance. During the car ride back to the office, Ehrenreich loses her cool and embarrasses her colleagues by criticizing the Accutrac personality test's effectiveness in screening workers. The following morning, Ted sends Holly home to recover. Two days later, Ted picks up Ehrenreich for a special task, offering her a raise and discussing Holly's situation during the drive. Ehrenreich realizes that her co-workers depend heavily on Ted's praise because he is the only one who acknowledges their worth.

On her final day at The Maids, she discloses her true reason for working there to her colleagues. Although they don't fully grasp it, Ehrenreich takes the opportunity to ask how they feel about their jobs and clients. Their responses are not filled with anger; instead, they are either resigned to their circumstances or aspire to the lifestyles of their clients.

Three: Selling in Minnesota

Ehrenreich selects Minneapolis for her last experiment, drawn by reports of its strong job and housing markets. She initially stays at a friend's apartment while they are on vacation, in return for caring for their pet cockatiel, Budgie. Deciding to pursue factory or retail work more aggressively, Ehrenreich manages to secure positions at Wal-Mart and a Menards housewares store. Unfortunately, both jobs require a drug test, and Ehrenreich has recently used marijuana. She attempts to detox by drinking large amounts of water and purchasing products designed to cleanse her system.

Despite feeling disheartened by her initial search for housing, Ehrenreich takes a break to meet Carolina, a friend’s relative. Carolina has genuinely done what Ehrenreich is simulating in her experiments: she moved from one state to another to start anew on a minimum wage income. Ehrenreich and Carolina quickly form a friendship. On Monday, Ehrenreich attends her drug tests and, still uncertain about the results, participates in a group interview for a company looking for independent sales representatives. Her hunt for affordable housing becomes more urgent, but she receives a promise of an apartment at Hopkins Park Plaza once it becomes available. In the meantime, she books a room at the Twin Lakes, a residential hotel.

Ehrenreich is contacted by Menards and told to attend orientation on Wednesday morning. There, she learns she will receive ten dollars an hour. Roberta from Wal-Mart also reaches out to inform her that she passed the drug test and will earn seven dollars an hour. Although Menards offers a better pay rate, Ehrenreich decides to go to Wal-Mart's orientation, driven by caution and curiosity. The orientation is a day-long session that she finds daunting: it covers Wal-Mart's history, its incredible growth, its customer service philosophy, its anti-union stance, and the importance of avoiding "time-theft," which includes any non-work activities during shifts.

On her first day at Menards, Ehrenreich realizes she is expected to work eleven-hour shifts and learns that her pay might not actually be ten dollars per hour. Unwilling to accept these terms, she chooses to work at Wal-Mart, a decision she plans to justify in the upcoming weeks. After leaving her friend's apartment, she discovers that Twin Lakes has rented out the room she reserved, forcing her to stay at the Clearview Inn for a week. Although cheaper than Twin Lakes, the Clearview Inn is also less secure.

The following Monday, Ehrenreich begins her job at Wal-Mart and is assigned to the women's clothing department. Her job is to maintain order in the area, which requires her to learn the department's layout and familiarize herself with the various brands and styles. While the task is not particularly challenging, the sheer volume of clothes to organize can be daunting. In her second week, her shift changes from 10:00 a.m.-6:00 p.m. to the closing shift of 2:00 p.m.-11:00 p.m., and the shopping environment becomes more hectic. Although Ehrenreich feels annoyed by customers, focusing on the clothing gives her a sense of purpose and commitment. An incident where a colleague criticizes her work performance prompts her to worry that the person she is becoming under these work conditions is not who she truly is outside of work.

On the day Ehrenreich expects to move into Hopkins Park Plaza, she learns she must wait until the following week. Left without a place to stay, she spends two nights at a Comfort Inn. Seeking advice on housing, she turns to the Community Emergency Assistance Program, where she is advised to stay in a shelter until she can afford an apartment. The following Saturday at Wal-Mart, Ehrenreich experiences a breakthrough, finding she can perform her tasks without overthinking. This gives her the opportunity to ponder why people engage in such work. She attempts to influence her co-workers' opinions and motivate them to initiate changes within the company. She discusses the value of a union with co-workers individually and during a staff meeting. Although she is skeptical about the feasibility of forming a union, she feels hopeful upon hearing about a strike at several hotels. Ehrenreich takes unauthorized breaks to explore housing options, but without success. She decides to end her experiment early and resign from Wal-Mart. She shares her plan and her book project with a co-worker, Melissa, who then chooses to quit as well. During her last break, she watches news coverage of the hotel strike on TV, and a co-worker in the break room suggests that a union would benefit Wal-Mart too.

Evaluation

Ehrenreich evaluates her performance in the three experiments. She concludes she succeeded in her jobs, emphasizing that no job is truly "unskilled," as each requires specific abilities and knowledge. Her job performance, however, differs from her success in balancing income and expenses. She feels she came closest to achieving this balance in Maine and was least confident about it in Minnesota.

She then reflects on the broader social issues highlighted by her experiences. The persistent housing problem arises from the wealthy competing with the poor for living space, with the rich invariably prevailing. Although market dynamics increase rent, the same cannot be said for wages available to the lower class. While both the legal minimum wage and actual wages for the lowest ten percent of workers have increased, Ehrenreich believes it is insufficient. Employers often avoid raising wages by offering minor benefits that can be easily withdrawn when costs rise. Additionally, minimum-wage workers lack resources to independently compare wages and job markets. Even if they could, their ability to change jobs is often limited by external factors such as home environment, transportation, and additional jobs. A natural inclination to satisfy management keeps low-wage workers compliant, while frequent violations of civil liberties, like drug testing and property searches, serve to psychologically intimidate them.

Ehrenreich contends that low-wage workers live in a world that is neither free nor democratic, challenging the widespread notion of America as a land of choice and opportunity. To maintain a secure and comfortable lifestyle—though not a lavish one—she estimates that a single parent with two children needs an annual income of $30,000. This figure is double what low-wage workers typically earn. Ehrenreich concludes that the top twenty percent of American earners, including the professional-managerial class, wield disproportionate power over the nation compared to the rest of the population. They dictate the country's priorities and have chosen to obscure the struggles of the working poor. By prioritizing the interests of those they serve over their own, Ehrenreich argues that the working poor "are in fact the major philanthropists of our society" and predicts they will eventually resist this role. Following the upheaval of this anticipated revolt, everyone will benefit.