It's Not Like I'm Poor: How Working Families Make Ends Meet in

It's Not Like I'm Poor: How Working Families Make Ends Meet in a Post-Welfare World

The world of welfare has changed radically. As the poor trade welfare checks for low-wage jobs, their low earnings qualify them for a hefty check come tax timeâ€”a combination of the earned income tax credit and other refunds. For many working parents this one check is like hitting the lottery, offering several monthsâ€™ wages as well as the hope of investing in a better future. Drawing on interviews with 115 families, the authors look at how parents plan to use this annual cash windfall to build up savings, go back to school, and send their kids to college. However, these dreams of upward mobility are often dashed by the difficulty of trying to get by on meager wages. In accessible and engaging prose, Itâ€™s Not Like Iâ€™m Poor examines the costs and benefits of the new work-based safety net, suggesting ways to augment its strengths so that more of the working poor can realize the promise of a middle-class life.
Country USA
Manufacturer University of California Press
Binding Kindle Edition
ReleaseDate 2015-01-14
Format Kindle eBook

Country	USA
Manufacturer	University of California Press
Binding	Kindle Edition
ReleaseDate	2015-01-14
Format	Kindle eBook

It's Not Like I'm Poor: How Working Families Make Ends Meet in a Post-Welfare World