TRAVERSE CITY -- Not long ago, Rochelle Rascon brought home a full week's wage from her job as a cook at a Bellaire restaurant.
But that changed last fall when she was laid off. Now, she's only scheduled one or two days a week. The service industry, she said, is especially troubled right now.
After all, when people stop dining out, a trickle-down effect is inevitable.
"A lot of people aren't going out to eat anymore because they just can't afford to," Rascon said. "Most people can't afford to go anywhere but home."
Rascon's story isn't an isolated incident. There are thousands more like it these days, as people cut coupons, pinch pennies and limit lifestyles to deal with an ever-worsening economy.
Ask around, and you'll struggle to find someone who hasn't been affected by the continued economic slump gripping both the state and the nation. The face of hardship transcends age, geography, background, race and socioeconomic status.
The difficulties, of course, are not the same for everyone. Just as the distribution of wealth is unequal in society, so is the distribution of adversity.
The most widely reported challenges are those faced by people at the bottom of the income ladder. Census data from 2006 show 7.3 percent of Grand Traverse County residents live below the poverty line, up from 5.9 percent in 2000.
And many people, some not earning much more than minimum wage, often drive from outlying areas into Traverse City for work.
That extends into other sectors, as well. Several government employees of the Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians undertake long daily commutes to Peshawbestown in Leelanau County from Kewadin, Mancelona and Kalkaska. The band is considering a four-day work week for its roughly 225 employees.
"The cost of gas is really spurring this," tribal manager Mary Pelcher said. "You're doing what you can and being creative."
But some things, like rising food and energy costs, are ubiquitous. People of all income brackets are being forced to change their lifestyles to make ends meet.
Even foreclosures are nondiscriminatory. In Grand Traverse County alone, repossessed homes fetched anywhere from $24,000 to $1.9 million at sheriff's auctions so far this year.
"Years ago, people would lose their house on a sheriff's deed, but there was a good chance it went to the bank and they managed to redeem the property," said Peggy Haines, the county's register of deeds. "The biggest thing now is they don't get redeemed."
Finding affordable housing is a challenge for many, even without the threat of foreclosure.
Rascon, the Bellaire cook, is looking to move out of her apartment, in part because she had to assume payment of her utility bills when her landlord no longer could. She is concerned not just about herself, but about her mother and 14-year-old daughter.
"I'm sure he did the best he could, until he couldn't do it anymore," she said. "I don't see an end anytime soon."
Helping hands
The number of people seeking assistance certainly hasn't ebbed. Some regional nonprofit organizations report year-to-date increases in both the number of clients and the amount of aid distributed.
In the first five months of 2008, 3,584 families received food from Traverse City's Father Fred Foundation, a 49 percent increase from the same period in 2007. More than $166,000 worth of food was given, up 24 percent from the year before.
Roughly $110,000 in cash assistance was given for utility payments, a 36 percent jump from 2007. Funding is down for other types of assistance so the agency can concentrate on utility bills, Father Fred executive director Martie Manty said.
Several regional food pantries noted a growing number of people seeking help this year who never sought it before.
Julie Kirchoff is one of them. Her husband is injured and can't work, and she has a job at a small grocery store in Cedar.
She was surprised to learn the price of certain food items had risen at the larger area supermarkets.
"I know it's only 20 cents," Kirchoff said. "But if everything goes up 20 cents, who won't be affected?"
Good Samaritan Family Services in Ellsworth went from distributing food to about 350 families each month last year to about 500 now, director Mary Peterson said.
Many of the new clients are seniors on fixed incomes.
Seniors across the region are trying new strategies in light of strained finances.
John Brewer is showing up more often for a low-cost lunch at Traverse City Senior Center. Most of his money is in certificates of deposit, so he knows how today's low interest rates affect income.
Brewer, 70, also saves money by turning to the Veterans Administration for much of his medical care. And he stopped buying national brands at the grocery store.
He tries to stay optimistic, but it's difficult given the "depressing" state of affairs.
"This is about the worst I've had it my whole life," said Brewer, of Traverse City. "I'm sort of resigned to it, but it kind of scares me."
Lifelong lessons
During the recession of the 1970s, Carolyn Swoveland bought more store-brand groceries and watched her spending. She had young children to raise.
The same ideas apply now, even though her children are grown. It's important not to be afraid, she said. It's crucial to be aware.
"We don't go out to eat as much, just like everybody else," said Swoveland, of Traverse City. "You just kind of shift your money to different places."
Emily Olson and her husband, David, are children of the Great Depression, and grew up with their parents' lessons firmly in mind.
Save your money. Always.
Today, the Elmwood Township residents are careful about how much they drive amid rising gas prices, but their lifelong thrift allows them to spend the winter months of their retirement in Gulf Shores, Ala.
"We all saved, and it wasn't instant gratification. We didn't have the big house," said Emily Olson, 78. "Our parents worked and saved and worried: Did you have enough money? That's not the mindset of my kids."
Many younger people haven't lived through trying economic times that confronted their parents and grandparents. For them, surviving a tough economy means learning along the way.
Amy Thompson knows she can't avoid purchasing food. She can, however, avoid buying gas.
Prices last summer -- above $3 a gallon then -- inspired her family to travel nearly everywhere by bicycle in warm months.
For the times they need a car, Thompson, of Traverse City, said they have discussed buying a hybrid vehicle.
"I don't expect gas to plummet back to $2 anytime soon," she said. "The way we do things has to change."
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