Nickel And Dimed Summary

Plan to make the most of your honeymoon

Each bride dreams of her wedding day for years. She imagines the dress, the groom and the venue. Soon enough, it's time to begin planning the actual wedding. Plans are made, arrangements are in place, the cell phone is constantly ringing and it starts to seem as though the wedding planning has become a second job. But once the big day has come and gone, it's time to let the inner Bridezilla rest. What better way to do that than going off on a romantic vacation.

In order to keep the honeymoon hassle to a minimum, travel agents are available to make the process as painless as possible. Annette Modlin, destination wedding and honeymoon consultant at The Travel Center in Des Moines, has several insider tips on what to do and how to do it.

Keep airport time to a minimum

There are many different destinations around the globe for honeymooners, but it is important to consider the travel time and layovers that might be required. "The most common honeymoon spots for Iowans are all-inclusive resorts in Mexico, Jamaica and the Bahamas," Modlin explained, "All of these are easy to travel to from Des Moines and surrounding airports, and are simple, one-connection flights." Without the hassle of airport confusion, honeymooners are more likely to enjoy themselves and relax. Close destinations offer many benefits, while ensuring that most of the honeymooners' time is spent relaxing — not waiting in an airport.

Take advantage of resort opportunities

Tropical beaches tend to be popular destinations, but many offer more than you might expect. Many resorts offer opportunities to make honeymoons more exciting. "Popular excursions include catamaran cruises, zip lining, snorkeling, scuba diving, cave tubing and Mayan Ruin tours," Modlin said. Many resorts offer candlelight dinners and couples' massages, which you may appreciate after a long day of activities.

Looking for something more exotic?

While Mexico and Jamaica are popular destinations, some honeymooners seek an even more exotic destination. "The Tahiti and Fiji islands are becoming more popular ... These islands are very different from many Caribbean islands, as they are very secluded and remote," Modlin said. Perks offered at these exotic locations include private over-water bungalows that have private sun decks to feed fish from. Several stage traditional Tahitian or Fijian dinner shows.

All-inclusive resorts keep a budget on track

Staying on budget can be one of the hardest parts of planning a wedding and honeymoon. All-inclusive resorts are great for honeymooners because the price is set from the very beginning. "Honeymooners won't feel nickel-and-dimed once they arrive at their destination," Modlin said. All-inclusive packages generally include airfare, night accommodations, meals, drinks, tips and non-motorized water sports.

Nickel and Dimed: On (Not) Getting By in America Summary at ...

Barbara Ehrenreich’s non-fiction bestseller, Nickel and Dimed , is the story of an essay writer who went undercover as a low wage worker to find out how non-skilled workers make ends meet. The experiment took place in Florida, Maine, and Minnesota, with the author finding a job and lodgings in each location. The experiment was to be held for one month in each location, working full time and living only off the amount of money earned in low-wage jobs. The goal was to determine whether or not the author could both live off the money earned and have enough money at the end of the month to pay the next month’s rent.

The first city chosen was Key West, Florida, due to the proximity to her home. Ehrenreich gets a job as a waitress in a diner-style restaurant, and finds a trailer to rent nearby. The income she receives from waiting tables is not enough to support her and to pay the next installment of rent, and Ehrenreich takes on a second job working as a hotel maid. The two jobs become too physically demanding for her to continue, and she vacates the maid position after one day. The waitress position becomes increasingly difficult as well, and Ehrenreich leaves the job before the month has been completed.

The second city chosen for the experiment was Portland, Maine. In this city, Ehrenreich found a job with The Maids, a residential housekeeping service. Knowing that it would likely take two jobs to meet her goals, she also took a job as a dietary aide in a nursing home. Her two jobs are staggered so that Ehrenreich works seven days a week. The housekeeping position proved to be physically demanding as well as low paying, and Ehrenreich also felt the job to be degrading. After one of the other maids in injured on the job, Ehrenreich demands that the younger maid stop working, and tries to halt the work of all the maids. Unsuccessful, Ehrenreich complains to the manager and wins a day off for the injured worker. As a dietary aide, Ehrenreich finds herself taking care of the entire Alzheimer’s ward by herself, afraid that by making a mistake she could harm her patients.

After leaving Maine, Ehrenreich travels to Minnesota, where she attempts to find both a job and an affordable place to live. Because of Minneapolis’ low apartment vacancy rate, she is unable to secure and apartment. She does quickly get hired by Wal-Mart as a “softlines” worker, putting errant clothing back on the racks. She finds a hotel to live in, but stays worried about the boltless door, and moves to a nicer hotel.

Nickel and Dimed, On (Not) Getting By in America

Running book discussion groups, a how-to-do-it manual

Cabinet

Book review digest

The Invisible Safety Net, Protecting the Nation's Poor Children and Families