ENOUGH TO KEEP FAMILIES AFLOAT. WE ASKED CNN INTERNATIONAL
CORRESPONDENT KATE SNOW TO FIND
OUT.
OUT. >> ACROSS MUCH OF THE COUNTRY
CLOSED FOR BUSINESS SIGNS REMAIN
ON LARGELY EMPTY STREETS.
LINES AT FOOD BANKS ARE GETTING
LONGER AS STIMULUS MONEY IS
SHRINKING.
SHRINKING. >> GONE.
>> GONE. >> OUT OF THEY DIDITY.
>> WE CHECKED IN WITH MANY AND
THEY ARE FACING THE DILEMMA HOW
BEST TO USE THE STIMULUS CHECK
IN THE FACE OF THE FUTURE.
THE MEDIAN MONTHLY RENT IN THE
U.S. WAS NEARLY $1100.
FOR A TWO PARENT, TWO CHILD
HOUSEHOLD, FOOD COULD COST OVER
$1,000 A MONTH.
>> I’M APPRECIATIVE FOR WHATEVER
BECAUSE IT MAKES A DIFFERENCE.
HOWEVER, BECAUSE MY KIDS ARE
HOME, THAT MEANS WE’RE EATING
MUCH MORE FOOD.
WE’RE USING ELECTRICITY ALL DAY
LONG.
LONG. >> BILLS ARE HIGH.
>> EXACTLY.
>> EXACTLY. THE BILLS ARE GETTING HIGHER.
>> JOYCE USED TO JUGGLE THREE
JOBS, BARTENDING FOR EVENTS AND
SUPERVISING AT A CASINO WENT
AWAY.
AWAY. THE ONLY INCOME NOW THERE
OCCASIONAL WORK AS A HOME HEALTH
CARE AIDE.
CARE AIDE. IN LOS ANGELES HER RENT ALONE
HIGHER THAN THE $2200 CHECK SHE
GOT.
GOT. SHE’S PUT OFF PAYING RENT FOR
NOW AND USED THE STIMULUS CHECK
TO PAY BILLS AND BUY GROCERIES.
>> YOU HAVE TO BE VERY
STRATEGIC, AND YOU HAVE TO BE A
WISE STEWARD OF YOUR FINANCES.
I’LL TAKE CARE OF THIS TODAY AND
I’LL DEAL WITH THAT TODAY AND
I’LL WAIT UNTIL TOMORROW FOR
THAT.
THAT. >> IN DENVER, JULIE SPENDS $1200
A MONTH FOR HER FAMILY OF SIX.
>> YOU GOT OVER $4,000.
>> $4400.
>> $4400. >> IS THAT SPENT YET?
>> MOST OF US IS SPENT PAYING
THE BILLS THAT WE HADN’T PAID
AND THEN GROCERIES.
>> SPRING IS USUALLY JULIE’S
BUSINESSIE TIME OF THE YEAR.
HER HUSBAND IS A MASSAGE
THERAPIST.
THERAPIST. >> ALL MY WORKSHOPS HAD TO BE
CANCELED AND MY HUSBAND, HIS JOB
GOT IMMEDIATELY CANCELED AS
WELL.
WELL. ALL OF OUR FOUR KIDS, WE’RE ALL
AT HOME NOW.
>> IT’S THE UNCERTAINTY THAT
WORRIES HER MOST.
>> I WOULD HOPE THE GOVERNMENT
WOULD RESPOND JUST HERE IS A SET
AMOUNT OF MONEY YOU GET MONTHLY,
THAT YOU CAN COUNT ON, BUDGET
FOR.
FOR. >> IN IOWA, THEIR ENTIRE CHECK
FOR $12 WENT TOWARDS THEIR
MORTGAGE AND HEALTH INSURANCE
PREMIUM, ESSENTIAL SINCE RANDY
JUST HAD OPEN-HEART SURGERY IN
JANUARY AND LAST SUMMER STOPPED
WORKING AS A TRUCKER BECAUSE OF
THE SHOULDER INDUSTRY.
HER JOB WITH HAIR AND NAILS WENT
AWAY.
AWAY. >> WE’RE DIPPING INTO OUR
RETIREMENT SOONER THAN WE WANTED
TO TO SURVIVE.
>> ALL THREE FAMILY APPRECIATE
THE MONEY BALL THEY DO HAVE.
>> DONATED $500 AS A GIFT TO US.
WE WERE ECSTATIC AND CRYING.
I FEEL TEARY EYED JUST SAYING
IT.
IT. >> WE WERE ABLE TO SPEND TIME
WITH KIDS.
WITH KIDS. THEY WERE NEEDING IT AND I WAS
NEEDING IT.
NEEDING IT. >> THE FINANCIAL STRESS GROWS BY
THE DAY.
THE DAY. >> PEOPLE BEGINING TO BACK TO
WORK.
WORK. THERE IS NO GUARANTEE THAT THE
JOB THAT I HAD ARE GOING TO OPEN
BACK UP.
BACK UP. >> AS MUCH AS YOU’RE UNIT COMING
YOUR BLESSINGS, I WONDER, DO YOU
WISH THE GOVERNMENT WOULD DO A
LITTLE MORE?
LITTLE MORE? >> YES.
>> YES. ESPECIALLY JUST FOR THE COMMON
FOLKS, PEOPLE THAT ARE OUT ON
THE LINE AND PEOPLE LIKE US THAT
ARE IN QUARANTINE.
>> THOSE STATES MAY BE OPENING
UP.
UP. AGAIN, IT’S NOT A GUARANTEE
INDIVIDUALS ARE GOING TO GET
THOSE JOBS BACK, HODA.
WHAT THEY ARE WORRIED ABOUT IF