Many of those positions go to students & teens (i.e., people who don't have tons of work experience). They're still in school, maybe living with their parents. If you've been in the workforce for many years, you're too over-qualified for an entry level position. You'd be applying for a more senior role which comes with more pay. In theory anyway...

But in reality:

• Roommates, partner/spouse's income, live with parents/family.
• Multiple jobs.
• Live in a cheaper neighborhood like Vernon Hill or Clark as opposed to West Tatnuck. Or leave the city and commute. Whatever it takes.
• Look into government assistance like Section 8, EBT/WIC, etc. The threshold for a lot of these things can be surprisingly high especially if you have kids.