Respond: Create Your Grocery List

Now that you have a sense of how much income tobacco bag stringers had, and how much groceries cost, pick two different workers from your chart and create grocery lists for their families. Take the following into account as you make your list:

• amount of income remaining after expenses
• number of family members
• quantity of food needed

As you make your list, write down how much of each item the family would need for a week, and how much that amount of food would cost. You can download another chart to help you create your list. Remember to stay within the amount you budgeted for each of the families.

When you are done, write a short essay about your opinion on whether or not the income these workers received from their tobacco bag stringing was enough to make a difference in their day-to-day life. Use what you've learned in this activity to support your opinion.