Midway through the book, Ehrenreich writes, "Maybe it occurs to me that I'm getting a little glimpse of what it would be like to be black (p 100)." I found this interesting because African Americans continually face inequalities due to race, which correlates to the inequalities faced by the lower classes of society. In Nickel and Dimed, Ehrenreich points out that there are "hidden costs" to being poor, which include those in poverty who can't find their way out. The working poor, whom Ehrenreich gets to know through work, live in hotels and pay daily. These people in the book describe to Ehrenreich that they would like to rent an apartment, but cannot afford the security deposit and upfront costs. The working poor described in the book also have to buy unhealthy meals at fast-food restaurants because they cannot afford kitchen appliances or food to cook with. People suffering from poverty often believe that they are stuck there and can't get out