This article is definitely US based. But I see similarities with certain things in the UK and other examples can be found with not much effort.
But the high cost of poverty was brought home to me within a few days of my entry into the low-wage life, when, slipping into social-worker mode, I chastised a co-worker for living in a motel room when it would be so much cheaper to rent an apartment. Her response: Where would she get the first month's rent and security deposit it takes to pin down an apartment? The lack of that amount of capital -- probably well over $1,000 -- condemned her to paying $40 a night at the Day's Inn.
This is very true, I've met people in London that stayed in hostels long term as they could not afford to pay one months rent and one months deposit.
The same is also becoming increasingly common as it is more and more impossible for anyone not related to Richard Branson to have enough money for a mortgage. Therefore people are forced to continue to fork out money for a high rent which is only making some fat rich landlord fatter and richer.
And those cases are a catch 22 scenario, as you spend so much each month in rent you will never be able to save enough to get out of that.
Home content insurances are more expensive if you live in a poor area.
Without a car and a PC your shopping options are limited and that might mean that you cannot shop around for cheaper options.
You don't have a freezer and you cannot buy in bulk thus saving money. And so on.
