“Reclaiming Affordability” is an op-ed series in partnership between the Independent Women and the Washington Examiner. Each day this week, a policy expert at Independent Women will tackle the top concern on the minds of voters this election cycle from a different angle, putting forth realistic solutions to the affordability crisis.

As a young woman with debt, rising rent costs, gas prices, and utility bills occasionally make me doubt whether I will be able to afford the things in life I long for. Despite working a full-time job and being frugal with my money, times of financial instability have made me reconsider basic quality-of-life choices like whether I can visit family on holidays. 

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Affordability is top of mind for women, especially those who are responsible for other family members. In most households, women make the spending decisions — from groceries to housing to extracurricular activities for kids. They are most concerned about affording housing, healthcare, and other basic needs such as utilities. According to a New York Times survey, 70% of women think a middle-class lifestyle is out of reach for most people in America, and 40% of women think the life they should be........

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