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Almost Half of US Families Can't Afford Basics Like Rent and Food

posted by janrinok on Monday May 21 2018, @08:11AM   Printer-friendly
from the richest-country-in-the-world dept.

An Anonymous Coward writes:

http://money.cnn.com/2018/05/17/news/economy/us-middle-class-basics-study/index.html

"Nearly 51 million households don't earn enough to afford a monthly budget that includes housing, food, child care, health care, transportation and a cell phone, according to a study released Thursday by the United Way ALICE Project. That's 43% of households in the United States."

The figure includes the 16.1 million households living in poverty, as well as the 34.7 million families that the United Way has dubbed ALICE -- Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed. This group makes less than what's needed "to survive in the modern economy."

"Despite seemingly positive economic signs, the ALICE data shows that financial hardship is still a pervasive problem," said Stephanie Hoopes, the project's director.

California, New Mexico and Hawaii have the largest share of struggling families, at 49% each. North Dakota has the lowest at 32%.

Many of these folks are the nation's child care workers, home health aides, office assistants and store clerks, who work low-paying jobs and have little savings, the study noted. Some 66% of jobs in the US pay less than $20 an hour.

See also: https://www.forbes.com/sites/noahkirsch/2017/11/09/the-3-richest-americans-hold-more-wealth-than-bottom-50-of-country-study-finds/

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  • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Monday May 21 2018, @02:33PM (2 children)

    by Anonymous Coward on Monday May 21 2018, @02:33PM (#682187)

    I don't have a car, do most of my shopping online, work online...spend most of my life online, but don't have a cellphone. Split among roommates, my share of the internet bill comes to less than $20/month.

  • (Score: 4, Insightful) by GreatAuntAnesthesia on Monday May 21 2018, @02:59PM (1 child)

    by GreatAuntAnesthesia (3275) on Monday May 21 2018, @02:59PM (#682204) Journal

    Well that's very nice for you, but that's just not how the youngsters do it.

    They don't see the point in buying / owning a computer + screen +landline + home broadband when they live in tiny, overpriced apartments where every bit of money and every square centimetre of space is at a premium. Why tie yourself to a box and a cable in your home when you could be looking stuff up on the move? Being able to access local information (bus times, weather, business opening times...) when out and about is really handy. One little gadget in your pocket (and you can pick up a refurbed, low end smartphone very cheap now) and a monthly (preferably sim-only) payment for both phone and internet and that's all you need. If I were in their shoes, it's exactly what I'd do.

    • (Score: 1, Insightful) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday May 22 2018, @01:53AM

      by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday May 22 2018, @01:53AM (#682493)

      that's just not how the youngsters do it.

      In the words of master Yoda: "That is why they fail."