There are people who trade at a deficit just because they believe that's the only viable option. They see commerce as a zero-sum game.
It's not a deficit if the value they assign to what they get is higher than the value they assign to what they give.
If they are giving away something they value highly for something they value less highly, then it's not a voluntary trade, now is it?
That's still a value assignment: they value eating and paying rent more highly than job satisfaction.