‘Broke all the time’: A carpenter and coder’s monthly costs

What’s your money worth? A new series from the front line of the cost-of-living crisis, where people who have been hit hard share their monthly expenses.

Name: Aman Kidane (a pseudonym to protect his identity)

Age: 42

Occupation: Carpenter and coding student

Lives with: Alone

Lives in: One-bedroom apartment in New Orleans, Louisiana, US

July income: $1,840 ($1,600 in financial aid for studies and $240 from selling old furniture). The median income for one person in Louisiana is $4,143 per month before taxes.

Total expenses for the month: $1,687