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Courtesy of Hannah Wilkinson
If you'd told me a year ago that drinking sparkling wine by the pool of a millionaire's mansion would come courtesy of caring for a cockapoo, I'd have never believed you. Yet, for the past year, my partner and I have sustained a full-time traveling lifestyle through housesitting and have been living rent-free in Australia's High Country, England's picturesque Cotswolds, and Ireland's Wild Atlantic Way, to name just a few.
Living in a capital city, I struggled to keep up with soaring rents. My landlord's latest increase was about to swallow 65% of my salary — not including bills. Unable to save and worn down by long commutes and an unfulfilling career, I was at a crossroads.
When a friend suggested housesitting, it seemed like a creative solution: I'd care for homes and pets in exchange for free accommodation and travel. Eliminating rent would give me the financial freedom to leave my corporate job and pursue my dream of becoming a full-time writer.
It also offered my partner and me — then in a long-distance relationship — the chance to explore potential places to settle before making any life-altering decisions. We joined the global platform Trusted Housesitters, and within a few months, I was boarding a flight to Australia, where our first housesit awaited us in Melbourne.
Housesitting is a value exchange: free accommodation in return for property and pet care. While some platforms and Facebook groups offer paid opportunities, we prefer the flexibility of handpicking housesits that suit our lifestyle — much like Airbnb, but without the cost.
We created a profile on the housesitting platform, where you can search sits worldwide and filter by home features, length of stay, and pet types. Once you apply, homeowners select their preferred profile (you'll likely be competing with others). Some owners are more formal, arranging video calls or pre-meetings, while others are remarkably relaxed — one homeowner left keys under the mat and flew to India for two weeks without speaking to us at all.
Courtesy of Hannah Wilkinson
Cutting out rent, utilities, and other housing costs has helped me save thousands this past year. That money has supported my career transition, allowed me to focus on writing my first novel, and given me the breathing space to recover from a decade of corporate burnout.
Living more simply has also given me space to slow down and appreciate life's small joys: walking dogs through autumnal forests or collecting eggs from backyard chickens feels far more meaningful than meeting targets or driving a nice car.
Another unexpected reward has been the sense of community — something I lacked in London, where 1 in 5 people in the UK have never spoken to their neighbors. Housesitting reminded us of the importance of integrating into local life. During a stay in Ireland, we shared dinners with Bernie, the local hairdresser, and enjoyed lock-ins and sing-songs with Barry, the pub landlord, and his regulars.
Courtesy of Hannah Wilkinson
Housesitting isn't for everyone. You must be flexible, reliable, and comfortable living in someone else's space. Most homeowners endeavor to clear space for us in their fridges and wardrobes, and although we don't expect homes to look like hotels, some haven't always met our cleanliness standards.
It's worth noting some countries classify housesitting under specific visa types, so you must also check entry regulations before making international arrangements.
Living out of a suitcase and constantly planning our next move can be tiring. But for us, these challenges have only made us more resilient as individuals and as a couple.
For anyone looking to reduce living expenses or break free from convention, housesitting is an alternative well worth exploring. Approach it with a level head, flexibility, and an open mind, and you might just find the adventure of a lifetime.
John Phillips/Getty Images
Jennifer Lopez said she wondered if she was enough for her kids.
In an interview with Entertainment Weekly published on Monday, the actor opened up about being a single mom.
"I've been a single mom at times in my life and [I've asked], 'Am I enough for them?'" said Lopez. "And the truth is, all you need is really one good parent to love you."
Lopez, 55, is the mother of 16-year-old twins Emme and Max, whom she shares with her ex-husband, Marc Anthony. The couple married in 2004 and divorced in 2014.
In the film "Unstoppable," Lopez plays Judy Robles, the mother of NCAA wrestler Anthony Robles.
The film, scheduled to stream on Prime Video on January 16, is based on the true story of Robles, who was born with one leg and went on to become a champion wrestler in college.
"You hear it in Anthony's voice, and look what he's been able to accomplish," Lopez continued. "That's what the movie gave me: You are enough."
In May, Lopez discussed raising teenagers on Live with Kelly and Mark. "I'm alone in this in the teenage years," she said, explaining that most of her close friends don't have kids. "So yeah, it's challenging, you know, but I love my kids, and they are so brilliant and lovely and beautiful, and I enjoy it."
Lopez, who is in the middle of a divorce from Ben Affleck, is not the only celebrity to have had questions about parenthood. In October, Hoda Kotb, who adopted two daughters, said she wondered whether she deserved her kids at one point.
"And I thought, 'I'll just work really hard to be really good, because I'm not sure,'" she said.
In April, Ashley Espinoza, who has a daughter, wrote for BI about the loneliness of being a single parent.
"I focus my attention on something I can control, like paying off my student loans, writing a book, and having fun with my daughter every chance I get, assuring her that one parent can be enough," she wrote.
Sheila Hageman, a divorced parent with three kids, wrote last year that she's learned to cut herself some slack.
"I'm giving myself the grace to recognize that the experts aren't living our lives and that I don't have to be a 'perfect' single mom but rather a good-enough mom who loves her family and is willing to be flexible and creative in the face of challenges," she wrote.
A representative for Jennifer Lopez did not immediately respond to a request for comment from BI sent outside regular business hours.
Vladimir Gerdo\TASS via Getty Images
In its latest funding round, Tenstorrent, a startup computing company that builds powerful AI hardware and software to compete with Nvidia, attracted big-name investors — including Jeff Bezos and Samsung.
A company statement released Monday said its Series D funding round raised $693 million, valuing the AI chip startup at about $2.6 billion, per Bloomberg. Samsung Securities and AFW Partners, a venture capital investment firm based in Seoul, led the round, along with Bezos Expeditions, LG Electronics, and Hyundai Motor Group, among other investors, Tenstorrent announced.
"We are excited by the breadth of investors that believe in our vision," Tenstorrent COO Keith Witek said in the statement. "If you look at this group, you see a balance of financial investors and strategic investors, as well as some notable individuals that have conviction in our plans for AI. They respect our team, our technology, and our vision. They see the ~$150M in deals closed as a strong signal of commercial traction and opportunity in the market."
Tenstorrent was founded in 2016 by Ljubisa Bajic, Ivan Hamer, and Milos Trajkovic. In 2020, Jim Keller, a prolific microprocessor engineer known for his work at Apple and Tesla, joined the company as its chief technology officer and became CEO in 2023. The operation, with 10 offices worldwide, builds AI hardware, offers open-source software for chip builders, and licenses products to clients who want to design their own silicon.
While still a fraction of the size of Nvidia, Tenstorrent aims to siphon off a portion of the chipmaking giant's massive market share by offering increased interoperability with other tech providers using an open-source approach that relies on more commonplace technology, Bloomberg reported.
Tenstorrent advocates the use of an open standard instruction set architecture called RISC-V. Designed by computer scientists at the University of California, Berkeley, RISC-V defines how software controls the CPU in a computer and is offered under royalty-free open-source licenses.
Nvidia's approach has instead focused more on the proprietary, from its chips to specific data center layouts, making it difficult for some of Nvidia's customers to switch to chips from competing companies without incurring tremendous costs.
"In the past, I worked with proprietary tech, and it was really tough," Keller told Bloomberg. "Open source helps you build a bigger platform. It attracts engineers. And yes, it's a little bit of a passion project."
A spokesperson for Nvidia declined to comment. Representatives for Tenstorrent, Samsung, and Bezos Expeditions did not immediately respond to requests for comment from Business Insider.
AI hardware startup Tenstorrent raised nearly $700 million in new funding. Tenstorrent raised a $693 million Series D round that values the company at more than $2.6 billion, Bloomberg first reported. The round was led by Samsung Securities and AFW Partners. Other investors include Hyundai and Jeff Bezos’ Bezos Expeditions, among others. The Toronto-based company […]
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Courtesy of Michaella Solar-March
This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Michaella Solar-March, a 40-year-old C-suite executive in New York City. The following has been edited for length and clarity.
When my husband and I met in 2011, we were in love with our careers. I worked as a marketing director in the music industry, and he was a bartender and vegetable farmer. We both worked late but always made time to see each other.
We discussed getting married and having kids but never discussed the logistics of starting a family with our work schedules. We got married in 2012, and in 2015, I got pregnant with our first child.
Now, as a family of four, I work full time, and my husband stays home to watch the kids.
My husband worked in hospitality and often got called in on nights and weekends to cover shifts. I worked at Soho House in a global role and traveled internationally for two to three weeks every month.
We hired a full-time nanny so we could both continue to work. After nine months, we realized it felt like our nanny was raising our child. While we loved our nanny, we weren't comfortable taking such a backseat role in our son, Townes', life.
My husband loved his career but found that being a present father meant more to him. He didn't grow up with his father around — his parents divorced when he was three, and a single mom raised him. He wanted to be a present and constant support for Townes.
We decided in 2017 that my husband would be a stay-at-home dad, and I'd continue to work as the family's breadwinner.
Courtesy of Michaella Solar-March
We realized my husband's salary was slightly more than what we paid our nanny. It seemed like a financially smart decision for him to leave his job. It also helped us both erase any anxiety about Townes and his care.
When we had our second child, Roma, in 2020, I was the global CMO for a commercial real estate business. Alex returned to work in 2019 as the general manager of a hospitality brand, and we thought we would hire another nanny for our daughter. Then the pandemic started.
We started interviewing nannies remotely and couldn't get comfortable with the idea, so again, Alex quit his job and resumed full-time childcare responsibilities.
When we first started dating, our identities were wrapped up in our careers. When my husband first became a stay-at-home dad and I became the breadwinner, I struggled with our new identities. I felt grateful that I could continue my career but guilty that he had to pause his.
I was also proud of his work and enjoyed the nightlife culture that came with his industry, so leaving that behind was a lifestyle shift for both of us.
My husband never felt bad about this shift. He poured everything into being the best dad, managing the household (cooking, cleaning, and handling the groceries), and constantly reassured me that he was more than OK with taking on this role.
Neither my husband nor I are independently wealthy, so the long-term stability of our family and creating financial security for our kids are solely my responsibility.
I feel a lot of pressure. I'm naturally ambitious and self-motivated, and I take pride in being good at my work. Yet, I inevitably feel I have to overdeliver and drive value for my employers to ensure job security.
While I'm lucky enough to have an incredible boss and team, that pressure is always an undercurrent. If I'm not working, we can't pay our bills.
Courtesy of Michaella Solar-March
I'm now the chief marketing officer for a Brooklyn-based real estate developer and management company. I'm fully committed at work and home but always feel I'm letting someone down.
I often miss dinner time with the family because of work commitments. Townes made a rule that I'm only allowed to be on my phone at home if I'm dealing with something for work. As my kids have become more aware and emotionally mature, they notice when I'm distracted.
I also feel societal pressure. There's an unspoken expectation that you must be an exceptional employee, mother, friend, community member, and over-performer in every area of life. Those titles are often in conflict with one another.
I have to compromise. I'm no less committed to an area of my life, but I acknowledge that sometimes I can't do it all and must make a choice.
I had a stay-at-home mom who worked from home but was hands-on in the house. This allowed my dad to go out and work long hours every day. My family is now inverted.
I'm proud that my children see me go to work daily, knowing I come home every night after doing work I love and excel at. I hope this shows them they can pursue their professional passions with commitment and ambition.
Sometimes, Roma asks, "Why can't you stay home with Dad? Why do you go to the office every day?" But I know that in 10 years, I will have shown her what a working mother looks like. I also know that when I'm with her, I focus on giving her the attention and support she needs.
While our family setup might be unusual, it works for us, and I'm not sure it would work this well if we did it any other way. Eventually, my husband wants to go back to work, but not in a full-time capacity.
Want to share your story as a female breadwinner? Email Lauryn Haas at [email protected].
Michael Lee/Getty Images
Fewer people are moving during a seasonally slow stretch in the rental market, but those who are looking for a new apartment soon may be in luck.
Rent was flat or down across the US in November, a recent report from real-estate site Zumper found. The cost of one-bedroom apartments was little changed for a fourth straight month at $1,534, while two-bedroom setups were modestly cheaper, down 0.4% from October at $1,902.
These findings suggest that the long-standing stalemate on price between landlords and tenants is dragging on, though the path of least resistance may be lower later in the coming months.
"Most renters who were planning to move this year have already done so, and property owners tend to price down units to fill vacancies before the holidays," Zumper's team wrote in the report.
So, while softer demand and limited apartment supply have offset each other, property managers hoping to be fully booked may have to cut prices or get creative with concessions. One such perk — unusual as it may sound — is free groceries for a year, Zumper researchers noted.
"We anticipate that national rents will continue to see modest declines through the rest of this year and likely into the beginning of next year as well," Zumper CEO Anthemos Georgiades said in a statement for the report.
Even if renters score savings this winter, apartment prices remain 2.3% to 2.5% higher than they were a year ago, according to Zumper. However, that's still below the official inflation rate of 2.6% and well under the 4.9% jump in the shelter price index.
Zumper
"Easing inflationary pressures could drive further declines to national rent prices and pave the way for additional interest rate cuts by the Federal Reserve," Zumper researchers wrote.
Although the national rate for one-bedroom rent didn't budge this month, there are a dozen midsize or large US cities where apartments are reasonably priced and heading down.
Below are the 12 cities where rent was at least $250 cheaper than the national median price of $1,534 in November and less expensive than 12 months ago. Along with each market are its year-over-year and month-over-month rent changes and its median rent, the savings compared to the national median, and its rank among the 100 top US real-estate markets.
Sean Pavone/Shutterstock
Year-over-year rent change: -1.3%
Month-over-month rent change: 0%
Median rent: $750
Savings vs national median: $784
National rent ranking: 99
Danny Lehman/Getty Images
Year-over-year rent change: -2.2%
Month-over-month rent change: 0%
Median rent: $900
Savings vs national median: $634
National rent ranking: 96
Davel5957/Getty Images
Year-over-year rent change: -2.1%
Month-over-month rent change: 1.1%
Median rent: $930
Savings vs national median: $604
National rent ranking: 94
Kai Eiselein/Getty Images
Year-over-year rent change: -6.4%
Month-over-month rent change: -1.9%
Median rent: $1,030
Savings vs national median: $504
National rent ranking: 86
Murat Taner/Getty Images
Year-over-year rent change: -3.7%
Month-over-month rent change: 0%
Median rent: $1,040
Savings vs national median: $494
National rent ranking: 84
xradiophotog/Shutterstock.com
Year-over-year rent change: -2.7%
Month-over-month rent change: 0%
Median rent: $1,070
Savings vs national median: $464
National rent ranking: 81
Edwin Remsberg/Getty Images
Year-over-year rent change: -2.7%
Month-over-month rent change: 0.9%
Median rent: $1,100
Savings vs national median: $434
National rent ranking: 74
Sean Pavone/Shutterstock
Year-over-year rent change: -4%
Month-over-month rent change: -0.8%
Median rent: $1,190
Savings vs national median: $344
National rent ranking: 70
Dan Reynolds Photography/Getty Images
Year-over-year rent change: -5.5%
Month-over-month rent change: -1.6%
Median rent: $1,200
Savings vs national median: $334
National rent ranking: 67
Sean Pavone / Getty Images
Year-over-year rent change: -4.6%
Month-over-month rent change: -0.8%
Median rent: $1,240
Savings vs national median: $294
National rent ranking: 65
Kevin Ruck/Shutterstock
Year-over-year rent change: -3.8%
Month-over-month rent change: 0.8%
Median rent: $1,250
Savings vs national median: $284
National rent ranking: 62
Philip Lange/Shutterstock
Year-over-year rent change: -2.3%
Month-over-month rent change: 0.8%
Median rent: $1,270
Savings vs national median: $264
National rent ranking: 59
Tim Evans for BI, Brittany Greeson for BI, Helynn Ospina for BI, Andre Chung for BI, Libby March for BI; Rebecca Zisser/BI
O
ver the past five years, pilot programs in 150 cities have been handing out cash — no strings attached — to low-income Americans. The money, known as a Guaranteed Basic Income, is generally awarded for a year or two in monthly payments of $500 to $1,000. The goal has been to test a simple but controversial proposition: that supplementing America’s existing safety net with direct payments to individuals can help lift people out of poverty, strengthen families, and close the racial and gender gaps.
To see how the programs are working, we interviewed dozens of participants from a wide range of backgrounds and circumstances. Some were working multiple jobs to keep their families afloat. Others were transitioning to a new career, or getting out of an abusive relationship, or reuniting with their children after overcoming addiction.
What we found is that a guaranteed income — even a small one — can have a profound impact on people’s lives. The money not only helps recipients pay for basic necessities — heat, groceries, gas, car repairs — it also provides them with a greater degree of financial flexibility and autonomy, enabling them to make choices they otherwise couldn’t have afforded.
A new mother extended her maternity leave to six months. An ex-convict signed up for health insurance and started therapy. A dad was able to spend less time on side hustles and took up camping with his kids. Little things that make a world of difference.
To be sure, the guaranteed income isn’t enough to guarantee a better life. Jessica Nairns, who was receiving $1,000 a month, lost her job with a mutual aid group in Austin mid-way through the program and ended up living in a homeless encampment. “I think the program is intended to give a little bit of a leg up to people who are already in a stable situation,” she says. “I needed a whole leg up.”
But most recipients found the monthly support incredibly valuable, even if it didn’t immediately end their financial struggles. “It’s like when you take a Tylenol,” says Raven Smith, a mother in Portland who put some of the $500 a month she received toward earning her associate’s degree in mental health, social service, and addiction counseling. “The income makes the pain a little bit more tolerable, but it doesn’t take it completely away. When you don’t have much, anything is better than nothing.”
Stephanie Bartella , 48, is an administrator at Pierce College and a divorced mother of four in Tacoma, Washington. She received $500 a month for 13 months.
Stephanie Bartella
Total funding: $6,500
Before the program, I felt like I was drowning. I worked my butt off, and I was barely making it.
I had come out of an unhealthy marriage, moved back to Washington to be closer to my family, got my degree. I was able to get a mortgage on a home. I felt like a very fortunate person, and everyone was telling me I was making the right choices. But I was putting my utility bills on a credit card pretty regularly. I was buying the cheap, cheap groceries. It was really defeating.
Where I felt it the most was always having to say no to my kids. They felt the strain of Mom doesn’t have enough money to do fun stuff. Every little outing, like the movies or the state fair — if you want to enjoy it, it’s a big expense. It takes money to participate in society, and you really get left out of a lot of things if you don’t have it.
I used the guaranteed income to pay down some credit-card bills. I buy a little bit more meat and prepared food items that help save time making dinner. I had a dead tree in my yard, and thank goodness I was able to pay to get it cut down. My neighbors came by and said, “Oh, your yard looks so nice.”
I gave my family one splurge. My nephew was getting married, and me and my boys got to stay at the same hotel with the rest of the family and enjoy the wedding.
By the end of the program, I had a few hundred dollars tucked away. It’s not a lot, but it’s a little bit of a lifeline. It reminds me: “Hey, we can get you through this.”
MK Xiong , 34, is a partnered mother in Plymouth, Minnesota, who serves as the primary caregiver to her daughter, who has autism. She received $500 monthly for a year.
MK Xiong
Total funding: $6,000
got the call that I’d been selected not long after my baby, Vera, was born. I almost dropped the phone. I was like, “There’s a catch, right?” And they’re like, “No. No strings attached.”
I was hit by a car toward the end of college, and I have issues with my heart and lungs to this day. I was just walking and the next thing I knew I was in a hospital bed and the doctors were telling me, “You were in a coma. You were done for.” When COVID-19 hit, I was a successful sports massage therapist, but I had to pause. My doctors were worried about my lungs. I had to be very cautious.
Vera is our miracle. My partner and I found out we were pregnant in late 2021. I knew it was going to be a big risk to have a kiddo given my health, but we really wanted to fight for it. We were under so much financial stress. I was on bed rest for the entire third trimester. We were down to one income, and it was just me and my boyfriend living in a $600-a-month studio and going to the food pantry.
When Vera was born, the guaranteed income sustained us. We used it for diapers and groceries. It was still COVID, so we couldn’t have a baby shower. When we moved to Minnesota, it helped us with the U-Haul.
As a postpartum mom, I really respected that the money came with “no strings attached.” Our baby girl was born prematurely by C-section, so my body took on more of a toll. I was able to get a massage for my muscle recovery, and then get my toenails done to actually feel like a woman again. If I’m the caregiver, how am I supposed to take care of another if I’m falling apart? I needed self-care so bad at that point.
Kandace Creel Falcón , 42, is a visual artist and feminist scholar living in rural Minnesota with their wife. They’re receiving $500 a month for five years.
Kandace Creel Falcón
Total funding: $30,000
n 2019, after close to a decade of teaching, I decided that the tenured professor lifestyle was not for me. I left to pursue a career as a full-time artist and writer.
The number one thing that artists need is time. If you’re spending your time chasing and hustling, cobbling together lots of different income streams, that’s less time for you to actually make the work.
I bring in about $52,000 a year. My wife, Natalie, and I live on 20 acres, and we’ve been tending to this property since 2017. I have a pretty tight budget. The guaranteed income allowed me to take risks with my artistic business. I rented gallery space in the Twin Cities for $400 per month to get more exposure for my artwork. That was only possible because I had a consistent source of funds coming in.
Partway through the program, the government unfroze repayments of student loans. I paid that $549.28 a month out of my main income. The $500 in guaranteed income was my buffer. When that happened, I couldn’t afford a whole wall at the gallery, so I downgraded to a shelf for $25 a month. I also used the money to help cover the cost of groceries when my food budget was depleted and to put gas in my tank.
The intangible part of guaranteed income was feeling like my work matters in my community, and feeling like I’m being supported to do this important creative work. I feel a little bit more confident that I can make it as an independent artist. And in September, the guaranteed income program was extended to five years from the original 18 months, so I may end up paying off my student loan debt. I wish all artists who are struggling to make a career from their work could experience this amazing gift.
Tomas Vargas Jr. , 40, is a father of two in Stockton, California. He received $500 a month for two years. He now works as an administrative assistant for Mayors for a Guaranteed Income. In his free time, he speaks frequently about how the support helped him.
Tomas Vargas Jr.
Total funding: $12,000
efore the money came, I didn’t really have the opportunity to bond with my kids. I made $36,000 at most, working part-time for UPS and doing side jobs. I was always so busy working. I didn’t want my kids ever to feel like they had to wake up with the lights off or the water off — situations that I had growing up with a single mom. I wanted to change that generational cycle.
With the $500, I could relax. I paid at least two bills down to zero every month. With whatever was left, I could buy fresh food. I also used the money to make sure the Chromebook my daughter used for school was insured.
My family noticed I was happier. I was around more. One of the biggest things we did was go camping for the first time. When you get one-on-one time outside the house, it just broadens your experience with your kids. You get to know them a lot more. And now we go camping on the regular, because we all enjoy it.
I stopped looking at things like they were always problems and started looking at them as opportunities. I was able to get a job with better hours and better pay. It changed my mental health and the way I carried myself.
I had the opportunity to speak with Mayor Michael Tubbs on a panel about guaranteed income here in Stockton. My kids were watching me up on stage. After I was done, my son told me, “Dad, I want to do that.” At first, I didn't understand. Afterwards, he ran for student council and I got it. That was very impactful for me, to see my child see his father and be inspired.
Magdelina Spencer , 32, is a receptionist for the Tulalip Tribes government and a widowed mother of four in Tulalip, Washington. She’s receiving $1,250 a month for three years.
Magdelina Spencer
Total funding: $45,000
gave birth to my son, Amelio, on Christmas Day 2023. I initially planned on going back to work after three months. After being approved for the guaranteed income program in January, I could afford to stay out for six months and be OK financially.
It had been a difficult couple of years. After my daughter passed away in 2020 at 10 months old, I fell into addiction really bad. I signed my three kids over to family members. I got sober in 2022 and was in treatment. At first, I only got visitation with my children. Then I had to adjust to having my kids back after not having them for two years.
My kids moved home with nothing. I used those first payments to buy diapers, groceries, new clothes, new bedding. I buy so much, and then they grow.
I try to put $100 or $200 to the side and not touch it. When my last vehicle started having mechanical problems, I used that savings to get a new vehicle for $5,000. So we’re starting over on our savings.
At the end of the month, I have that little bit of extra money to take my kids out. Last time, we went to the movies and saw “Inside Out 2.” My two oldest have birthdays a few days apart in May, and I used the money for a birthday party.
As a single mom, you have to do it all on your own. I feel like I’m very lucky to have this time at home with my children. I’m able to drive the three oldest to school every day. We stop for breakfast. I don’t have to rush like I do when I’m working. So we get more bonding time. I’m able to stop and pause in moments with my kids, to sit down and either correct their behavior or talk with them.
Zaaear Pack , 27, is a nonprofit grant coordinator and a mother of two in Baltimore, Maryland. She received $1,000 per month for two years.
Zaaear Pack
Total funding: $24,000
hen I got picked for the program, I remember feeling so relieved and thinking: I’m going to be OK for two years. But it’s been so much more than that. Being part of this program made me want to get up and do something.
When it started, I was in a horrible place in my life. I’d spend the whole day doing deliveries for Gopuff. I was basically working for tips since I got paid $3 per order. A lot of the time I wasn't even eating. I was falling behind on my rent and my truck payments. A lot of my struggles with anxiety and depression came from concerns about providing for my children and myself.
The guaranteed income helped me keep up with my bills. I left a domestic violence relationship that was just horrible. I could buy my children things I couldn’t get before, like a pair of shoes or hair products. Being able to get whatever you or your children want to eat for dinner, that’s a luxury to me.
I knew that extra income wasn’t going to be there forever. That motivated me. It got me out of my comfort zone. I went back to school, and I graduated with my bachelor's degree in business from Strayer University. I just started my master’s in October.
I quit Gopuff and I’m now a grant coordinator at Araminta, which works to stop child sex trafficking. I’m a survivor myself, and it’s something I’m very passionate about. I also started my own program called Rise and Thrive to help human trafficking survivors learn to be entrepreneurs. One day it might turn into my own nonprofit.
My last guaranteed income check came in July. Everything really turned out well. I’m caught up on all my payments this year. The program changed my life in more ways than the providers could ever imagine.
Tatiana Lopez , 39, is a patient representative at a hospital in Flint, Michigan, and a married mother of three. She received a one-time payment of $1,500, followed by $500 a month for one year.
Tatiana Lopez
Total funding: $7,500
y husband and I have our own home, and in June we made our last payment on the 10-year mortgage. But ever since COVID, things weren’t so great financially. My husband ended up going part time. My paycheck is $1,200 a month, and everything has been going up. I used to spend $100 a week on groceries, but now it seems more like $200. I was on a program for our power bill where they lower the total you pay and your electricity doesn’t get shut off.
I knew I was going on maternity leave for 12 weeks, so I was trying to save a little bit here and there. With the guaranteed income, I paid bills that were past due. I got my car fixed. It was about to be winter here, and I’d been thinking, How am I going to get new tires? I also spent money on my baby. Just the necessary items like diapers, and I ended up getting him a car seat and a stroller.
My two older boys really love sports, so I make sure they get what they need. My oldest son, who’s 13, is on the basketball team and getting into baseball. My 7-year-old is into basketball. You need a certain type of shoes for different sports.
I always put myself last, so the one thing I got for myself was a haircut. I’m trying to save some of the money so my kids will have something when they’re older. Like hopefully for college, or money they could use for their future.
I wish the payments would last a little bit longer. This program helps women who are struggling to make ends meet. Sometimes, you’re so drained with bills that it’s hard to catch up.
Evans Buntley , 59, works at a hospital in Rochester, New York. He’s divorced. He’s receiving $500 a month for a year.
Evans Buntley
Total funding: $6,000
hat extra $500 came right on time.
I was in the process of moving from my cousin’s house to a new place. The rent was $1,200, and the security deposit was $1,200. I asked my fiancée to move in with me, so we could share rent together and be a team. But as we were getting ready to move, she got injured. She hurt her back, and her job took her out of work for a while. I’m thinking, How am I going to get this security deposit?
A very special angel came through for me: Just before the move, I heard I got the guaranteed income. It helped me tremendously. And it helped with my fiancée’s medical bills that she had to pay out of pocket.
I’ve been working in the medical field for years. I’m gonna say I bring in $24,000 a year. With guaranteed income, it helps you to feel more confident, because every 15th of the month that $500 is going to hit your account. I was able to eat out more, for sure, and do little outings, like go to the movies or a concert — enjoy a little bit of comfort. If my mom, who’s 79 years old, or my sister ran short of groceries, I could help them out.
When you're stuck without money and you're trying to figure out how you're going to pay for this and that, it gets frustrating. That extra $500 is awesome. It gave me a big cushion for 12 months. I wish it would continue for another 12 months. Now I’m so used to it, I’ve got to get another job. I think that’s the push it gives people.
I proposed to my fiancée last year on Valentine’s Day. I’m saving and I want to give her a nice little ring right before Christmas. I want to do something wonderful for a beautiful lady I love, something I wasn’t able to get before.
Reporting: Noah Sheidlower, Katie Balevic
Editing: Edith Honan, Sophie Kleeman
Design and development: Kim Nguyen, Rebecca Zisser, Isabel Fernandez-Pujol
Photography: Jovelle Tamayo, Tim Evans, Helynn Ospina, Andre Chung , Brittany Greeson, Libby March
