I read the book, "Nickle and Dimed", which was a similar type of story. I think the books were written to promote a socialist "living wage". There wasn't much mentioned about the welfare money that is handed out...free medical, dental, SNAP (food stamps), PEL grants for schooling costs, and more if you have children. I knew personally one single mom who got all of that, and money for her rent, too, because it was tied to her PEL grant for college. I knew many single moms who would use the free state voucher for child care, but would complain about the half day wait in the state office that they could get their 6 month voucher at. I'm not saying that people aren't feeling the craziness of this failing economy, but I don't necessarily agree with the slant that was put on it by the author. People living like this already will probably welcome the digital economy that will be coming our way. The govt already provides for them, and SNAP is already digital.