Jane and her children have had a rough few months. Jane left her abusive husband, but couldn't find an apartment that she could afford. She and the children were "couch surfing" or living with various friends for a week or two at a time. The kids were sleeping on the floor and didn't have the stability and security that comes with having a place of their own. The insecurity was starting to show in their school work and in their behavior. Jane knew that she needed to make some decisions for her children. Jane connected with a United Way funded budgeting/financial program at Catholic Charities. They helped her straighten out her finances and develop a budget. Eventually she was able to find a low rent apartment and moved in with her children. Next she looked at picking up some extra hours at work so that she could start to save a few dollars from each paycheck for emergencies. She is now current on all of her bills and has a small nest egg.
