Parents skip meals to give their children something to eat, weigh and measure every slice of bread for fear of economic recession
According to CNN, the highest inflation in 40 years in the United States is causing many single families here to fall into poverty because they cannot cut costs or save money anywhere.
Oxfam data shows that the price of food, gas for heating, rent and electricity and water has increased in the past year, but wages have not been able to keep up, causing many single fathers and mothers to skip meals so that their children can eat. food. Please be reminded that more than 50% of single parent families in the US earn less than $15 an hour.
CNN reported that the high inflation made single fathers and mothers, who are low-income in the US and sensitive to the cost of living, are struggling to maintain their lives. Many parents have had to cut down on the quality of food, save as much and take out more debt to get through the day.
Sister Elisabeth Mendes Saigg
Life is not like a dream
According to CNN, the delay of the US Federal Reserve (FED) in the fight against inflation as well as the move to cut subsidy programs from the government after the Covid-19 epidemic has made many low-income families difficult. towel.
“It’s difficult to determine what I should and shouldn’t spend and how to save from my meager wages,” said Elisabeth Mendes Saigg, 33, who lives in Florida and is raising children. Alone after her husband died, bored said.
After Saigg’s husband passed away in 2020, the family still received food benefits. But as soon as the widow got a job, this allowance was cut. Her income of $25,000/year makes her family no longer eligible for benefits from the social security program.
Worse, the government’s cutbacks mean that single mothers like Saigg, even if they receive support, will be 700 USD less a month than before.
With current expensive costs in the US, the amount of $ 25,000 / year is not enough to live on to raise children. As a result, Ms. Saigg had to cut back on everything from turning up the air conditioning to cut down on electricity bills to giving up extra-curricular programs at the head of the school. Although she has to go to tutoring to earn money, Ms. Saigg only eats a box of pasta a day or even skips meals so that her 3-and-a-half-year-old son doesn’t have to skip meals and can eat his favorite foods like hot dogs or salads.
Slipping through the day
A survey by Morning Consult showed that about 30% of single families in March 2022 had a worse financial situation than other families, higher than the 22% rate in the previous month.
In the one-year period to March 2022, single families reported earning 16% less than average and spending 8% less per month.
“If there are no major incidents, we will try to avoid going to the hospital, not going to the dentist or other expenses. Bills will be kept under 100 USD/month. If something goes wrong, unfortunately. surely that expense will be delayed,” said Shae Beery, 44, who lives in Tennessee and is raising a single child.
CNN reports that when prices are so high and wages can’t keep up, single parents have to cut costs by buying less food or fasting for their children, but in the end their monthly bills are still higher than before. .
“Single families can no longer afford to pay the bills as before. They are struggling to get by day by day when they run out of money in the month, unable to save any money for unexpected mishaps. “, said Morning Consult chief economist John Leer worriedly.
Even New York, one of America’s leading economic centers, is no better. Jessica Ridout, 41, who is raising two children, said her family is following a strict vegetarian diet because food prices are so high.
Before the pandemic, Ms. Ridout’s family spent about $50-75 a week on food, but this figure has now jumped to $125. As a result, the Ridout family did not even dare to buy meat and switched to a vegetarian diet.
“Meat is too expensive and I would even do anything to get my kids a piece of salmon a week,” said grieving Ridout.
Inflation in the US is the highest in 40 years
Each piece of salmon now costs as much as $17 and the Ridout family can’t afford to buy them weekly.
Fear of recession
While economists are calling for higher interest rates to combat inflation, poor families in the US are limiting their standards in preparation for a possible recession. Income was not enough, so many families had to take out loans and ironically, the Fed’s interest rate hike made them pay more interest.
In addition, raising interest rates will reduce the source of money to stimulate the economy, raise interest rates and erode consumer power in the market. Please be reminded that countless American families are now living on credit cards every month, every paycheck is just to pay bills and credit.
“We are witnessing the downside of raising interest rates when poor households are the hardest hit,” said Morning Consult expert Leer.
In March 2022, nearly two-thirds of Feeding America’s 200 system of 200 food banks for the poor in the US reported overcrowding due to a sharp increase in people’s need for help.
Cassidie Bates, director of food banks for the poor in East Bay, Northern California, said the number of people in need has increased sharply from 178,000 people a month to 300,000 people. Even those who have never had to ask for food subsidies have to “beg” at banks because inflation is too high.
“Only 1 bad month can push a person into a difficult situation. When they fall into poverty, it’s like a vicious cycle, it’s very difficult to get out and get back on without help. help,” warned Ms. Bates, predicting that this overburdened situation would persist for at least a few more years.
68-year-old man JR Young lives in Colorado with his 17-year-old grandson, who used to be very frugal to manage the cost of living in the US. But high inflation is making it more and more difficult for her to live when she has to give up canned meat to switch to eating vegetables. The beef that Young often buys for his grandson has increased in price by 33%.
Currently, Mr. Young can’t even afford to buy fresh milk for him to drink like other families and he himself only dares to eat peanut butter bread every day to save food for him.
“Life is so difficult right now. I even have to measure and measure each slice of bread, each piece of butter spread to ensure enough living expenses,” said Mr. Young sadly.
*Source: CNN
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