Q. What was the bare minimum you needed to stay alive last week? A. Food, heating, accommodation.
Q. How did you get these things? A. With money, obviously!
Whatever the amount, if you’re working, it came from your wages for some employment.
Q. Why would anyone want to employ you? A. Simple: they expect you to produce enough to pay your wages, to replace whatever you use up while you work AND to fund their spending. Oh, and cash for reinvestment – to try to ensure they don’t end up in the working class too.
Remember – while capitalism lasts, your cost of living will always include the cost of carrying a capitalist on your back.