Today I wanted to feature a few frugal articles that caught my eye this week. Curl up in your favorite reading nook and enjoy. Hopefully these encourage you to live frugal lives!

This powerful Reddit thread reveals how the poor get by in America by Max Ehrenfreund
What does poverty in America look like? It can be difficult to truly understand, but this Washington Post article aims to capture some of the harder parts. They found a Reddit thread of real-life examples of poverty, and what people sacrificed to get by. It’s a painful reminder that we have a lot of work to do to reduce poverty.

How to Spend $50 a Week on Groceries by Cat from Budget Blonde
One of the most difficult parts of my budget is food. I eat out too much, and have some weird reactions to certain foods. Cat explains three awesome methods for saving on your food budget and staying at $50 per week! Really impressive job.

Why Wages Won’t Rise by Robert Reich
From the Clinton White House to University of California, Berkeley, Robert Reich has been a leading economic thinker. In this article he explains how — despite greater employment rates — wages aren’t rising as we might expect. The culprit is complicated, but might be related to greater automation.

The Bling Dynasty by Devin Friedman
“Communist” China isn’t looking so equal. Over the last decade, hundreds of people have become billionaires. And in turn, corporate giants have flocked to China for a piece of their wealth. In this crazy ride of an article, Friedman catalogues the wacky world of China’s new rich — spending money wherever they can.