In chapters 4-8 of "The Scarlet Letter," what does Hester do with her spare money?

Besides using the money she earns as a seamstress to support herself and Pearl, Hester also uses it to help the poor. The irony is that she has to endure insults from the poor and the sick she is helping. Instead of being lauded for her good works, she finds herself often used as an example of a sinful woman in sermons and public lectures.