In her new book, “Gouged: The End of a Fair Price, and What That Means for Your Wallet”, @Groundwork Executive Director @owenslindsay1 pulls back the curtain on the tricks, traps, and high-tech tools corporations use to squeeze more money from consumers. From surveillance pricing and algorithmic price fixing to hidden fees, Owens shows how these deceptive tactics are reaching nearly every part of our household budgets and driving up costs – offering a guide for recognizing them and fighting back.

To afford childcare, a single-parent household must spend 33% of their annual income on average. What’s worse, childcare costs are rising faster than inflation, pushing access to affordable care even further out of reach for families. A childcare public option — that is, new, government-funded, operated, and regulated childcare facilities that exist alongside existing programs and private providers — could help fix the U.S.’ broken childcare system.

Last night, President Trump made a pledge we've heard before: cash for every American. The President has promised to cut checks for families struggling with the cost-of-living crisis many times in the past few years, (1/5)

the Child Tax Credit and the Earned Income Tax Credit. These lifelines offer direct, targeted cash relief to Americans who need it, when they need it. Boosting and expanding these credits would do a lot more to help struggling families than another empty promise. (4/5)

The Trump administration is using strained federal childcare funds to push its vision of what a family SHOULD look like. The Child Care Development Fund (CCDF) was built to help parents afford childcare while they work or pursue their careers. 80% of the families who rely on it are single, working parents — mostly moms. As ESP’s Shafeka Hashash explains, rather than adding new funding to make it easier for two-parent households to stay home and care for their kids, the administration is “pitting married parents and single parents against each other to fight over resources.” If the administration is serious about supporting families, it should expand the monthly #ChildTaxCredit so families can cover essentials like childcare, food, and formula. Invest in universal public childcare, so parents have more flexibility. And offer direct cash support during pregnancy and after birth, when costs spike and wages often dip. Instead, the Trump admin’s newest proposal is a moral judgment that honors married households while jeopardizing support for single, working parents.

How does direct cash affect work? Our new report, "Cash Works. So Do Its Recipients," reviewed 40+ pilots across the country and found that cash supports work, strengthens families, and bolsters local economies.