Hmm. Here is a new spin on the whole "Alice" thing.
More and more Americans are becoming 'ALICEs.' They can't afford rent and groceries but are falling through the cracks in the country's safety net.
Noah Sheidlower and Juliana Kaplan
Apr 18, 2024, 10:21 AM CDT
Imagine making just enough money at your job that you don't qualify for food stamps or disability payments, but not enough to afford rent and healthcare. That would make you an ALICE.
ALICEs — or Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed — is a term coined by United Way's United For ALICE program to describe Americans who work and make more than the Federal Poverty Level for a family of four of $31,200, or $15,060 for an individual, but who struggle to pay for basic needs.
Many ALICEs are workers whose wages typically aren't enough to cover their bills, meaning they live paycheck to paycheck. Some are forced to sacrifice rent payments for food or childcare for medical appointments.
About 29% of US households are ALICE, while 13% are below the Federal Poverty Level, according to United For ALICE's calculations using data from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey and United Way's estimates for how much a family needs to get by.
full article at:
https://www.businessinsider.com/middle-class-americans-earning-above-poverty-live-paycheck-to-paycheck-2024-4
the illustrator for the article image must be thrilled