Finding Help in a Growing Recession

Associated Content ^ | December 8, 2009 | Derek Cromwell

[Diana in Wisconsin]

(With the ever looming possibility of economic failure on a global level, it's hard to know where to turn when the financial downturn hits home.)

Today's economy has got parents pressure-strapped financially and mentally and it's leaving us physically exhausted. In many homes across the country, a large percentage of parents are forced to maintain a two-income household (sometimes more unfortunately) just to make ends meet. Unfortunately with the cost of daycare in many major metro areas it's a tough decision to have both parents out of the home because childcare can eat up as much as 75% of middle-American income.

Even with both parents working, our nation is seeing an increase in homeless families and families that fall under the federal poverty line. By homeless, I'm not referring to living in the street. The federal government considers a family or individual homeless if even if they reside or share a home with another family or individual and they are not the primary "head-of-household".

Though we're all struggling to get by in some form another, many are unaware of the vast array of government programs both federal and local that can greatly improve your way of life and help take some weight off your wallet and monthly expenses. Here are a few noteworthy places to get started if you're looking for assistance in getting your head above water and keeping it there.

[Diana in Wisconsin]

Excellent resources at the link for those of us who may need help now...or in the coming year. They're funded with your past and present and future tax dollars; may as well take advantage of them if you need to.

FWIW.

[Bernard]

Job Assistance: Every state has an office set up, in nearly every populated county, to assist with getting people to work, back to work, and keeping those jobs. Michigan, for example, has "Michigan Works"

Page 4 of 5, and I was surprised to see anything about jobs in this article at all. Of course, this entire section was about re-training, which implies no job right now, and Michigan was held up as the role model for this program, so how much help can it be?

[Tax-chick]

The federal government considers a family or individual homeless if even if they reside or share a home with another family or individual and they are not the primary "head-of-household".

How interesting.

[Diana in Wisconsin]

Yep. Plenty-o-ways to milk the system. ;)

[Aracelis]

Hmmm...but nothing at all about financial planners to get debts paid down. I would think that’s paramount on many people’s minds.

[Diana in Wisconsin]

I have about $1K to go and I will be debt free except for my (affordable for us) mortgage.

My New Year Resolution is to ‘Use it up, wear it out, make it do or do without.’

I am not spending one thin dime more than I have to to provide the basics for my household, coupling that with paying the least amount in taxes that I can (and I’m already very good at that!)

Screw ‘em! :)

[Aracelis]

Screw ‘em! :)

You go girl! :)