Yesterday we referenced a Floyd Norris column in the New York Times called “Why So Glum? Numbers Point to a Recovery,” which discussed the persistence of gloom in the air despite an improving economic outlook. The American economy appears to be in a cyclical recovery that is gaining strength. Firms have begun to hire and [...]

“These painful phone calls involve my trying to explain why I cannot pay a bill on time or in full or both. The person on the other end of the phone falls into one of two categories Either they’ve been in my shoes or they cannot possibly imagine being in my shoes.” Here’s a very [...]

Found on The Awl: Salon readers respond to an article Hipsters on food stamps, subtitled “They’re young, they’re broke, and they pay for organic salmon with government subsidies. Got a problem with that? ” Think of it as the effect of a grinding recession crossed with the epicurean tastes of young people as obsessed with [...]

From an article in the Boston Globe last October titled “Panhandlers move from street to Internet.” …part of a new phenomenon among the homeless: digital panhandling. Some homeless people now have blogs where they seek donations. There are web forums where the homeless exchange ideas, sites where people can donate money, and bulletin boards where [...]

From the blog economicus ridulous comes this post called Blue and Broke, about the economic necessity of bartering instead of paying for certain extras, and the emotional toll it has taken. My sister’s son is getting married this summer. The invitation is sitting atop my fridge. The family lives in Ontario. I want to attend, [...]

Found on Reddit’s IAmA section, in which the rules are “Post what you are and have people ask you about yourself.” The initial post is called “I was once a homeless meth addict,” written by an individual who was laid off then experienced depression and drug addiction. The ensuing discussion touches on numerous psychological, sociological, [...]

Found recently on Barking Up the Wrong Tree: “Do the poor pay more for things than the average American?” Answer, according to a 2008 paper in the Journal of Consumer Research: Yes. Abstract: This research undertakes a carefully designed and detailed empirical study to gain insights into (1) the extent of price differentials between wealthy [...]

From the World Bank blog, a post about the Zero Rupee bank note, printed in India and distributed by an anti-corruption organization called 5th Pillar. Imagine that you are an old lady from a poor household in a town in the outskirts of Chennai city, India. All you have wanted desperately for the last year [...]

“…my one suggestion would be to apply if you think you will need it, not when you need it.” About 12% of the U.S. population now uses food stamps. But how easy is it to apply? Here’s a post from someone who tried to enroll in the program, from the blog On Food Stamps, which [...]

From The Big Picture financial blog: Last month, a record-high 38.2 million people were enrolled in the food stamp program, which in 2008 was renamed the Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program. Below is a chart that shows participation in the program from 1969 to last year.