2008 Woodie Awards
Cost of living increases as standard of living decreases
The burden of daily expenses causes a lower standard of living for students
Kate Poole
Issue date: 4/17/08 Section: News
Today, most drivers know that pang of frustration they get as the gas meter on the pump soars past $40, $50, even $60 for one fill up. Even the cost of a measly seasonal allergy prescription can total well above $100 for a patient without decent health insurance.
So why in a country of such great opportunity are Americans scraping the bottom of the change jar to fill up their tank, and draining paychecks to purchase minor but necessary prescriptions?
The Sacred Heart University Polling Institute recently conducted a national poll about the current economic standard of living. Results from the Sacred Hear University Web site show that 55.8% of Americans think that their standard of living economically is on the decline.
"Clearly, the crisis in the credit markets, coupled with significant increases in not just gas but also food has combined to make the average American feel poorer and pessimistic about the future," said John Gerlach, senior business executive in residence and associate professor in the John F. Welch College of Business at SHU, according to the university Web site.
College students struggle to pay for small bills such as for gas or cell phones due to the rising prices of everyday expenses.
"Rising gas prices are a burden on students, especially those who commute," said sophomore Karlyn Grasso. "If you're driving an SUV you may be paying close to $80 to fill up your tank. I want gas prices to go down."
Among other issues, students deal with the concern of the high prices in healthcare. Therefore, graduates maybe pressured to find jobs with benefits or perks towards their medical coverage.
"For graduating seniors, this situation means that finding a job will require a much more pro-active attitude than the past few years when most students had a choice of job opportunities," said Gerlach.
However, not all students find the idea of universal healthcare to be an actual benefit but a potential burden on the situation.
So why in a country of such great opportunity are Americans scraping the bottom of the change jar to fill up their tank, and draining paychecks to purchase minor but necessary prescriptions?
The Sacred Heart University Polling Institute recently conducted a national poll about the current economic standard of living. Results from the Sacred Hear University Web site show that 55.8% of Americans think that their standard of living economically is on the decline.
"Clearly, the crisis in the credit markets, coupled with significant increases in not just gas but also food has combined to make the average American feel poorer and pessimistic about the future," said John Gerlach, senior business executive in residence and associate professor in the John F. Welch College of Business at SHU, according to the university Web site.
College students struggle to pay for small bills such as for gas or cell phones due to the rising prices of everyday expenses.
"Rising gas prices are a burden on students, especially those who commute," said sophomore Karlyn Grasso. "If you're driving an SUV you may be paying close to $80 to fill up your tank. I want gas prices to go down."
Among other issues, students deal with the concern of the high prices in healthcare. Therefore, graduates maybe pressured to find jobs with benefits or perks towards their medical coverage.
"For graduating seniors, this situation means that finding a job will require a much more pro-active attitude than the past few years when most students had a choice of job opportunities," said Gerlach.
However, not all students find the idea of universal healthcare to be an actual benefit but a potential burden on the situation.
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