Of course she couldn’t afford the cake.
When I was a college student working 40 hours per week, $3.35/hour at Hardee’s, I couldn’t afford the burgers, which were offered at half price to employees. I brought in my own plain peanut butter sandwiches. No jelly bcz I couldn’t afford a food that wasn’t adding any nutritional benefit. I then got a better job waiting tables at a really nice restaurant. People would ask me what was good — how the hell would I know? I couldn’t afford to eat there!