Zimmerman has been in hiding since the case drew national attention, and he has solicited the money not only for legal fees but also for living expenses.

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The new poverty thresholds also attempt to measure living expenses more accurately.

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After three years families are expected not only to pay their own living expenses but also to start saving money for their old age.

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Without credit in your own name, you could also be unable to obtain loans or credit cards to manage living expenses.

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Chevron also flew Bastidas and four family members out of Ecuador and is supplying housing and living expenses in the U.S. for their safety, Robertson said.

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Family gifts that finance the living expenses of a college student who otherwise appears in the statistics as a low income household are also not counted, again exaggerating income inequality, or at least differences in standard of living.

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