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United Way
United Way
Making Tough Choices
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Welcome to Making Tough Choices

Living paycheck to paycheck in Indiana, what needs will you put first?

Local United Ways across the state of Indiana draw together resources, lead programs, and advocate on behalf of people in their communities. Often, some of the most urgent and common issues in these communities have the deepest impact on families that work hard but don't earn enough to cover the cost of essentials like food, housing, healthcare, childcare, and transportation.

Children raising hands in a classroom

For every struggling family that qualifies for supportive services, two more often go unassisted.

That's why United Way focuses heavily on giving families a hand up, meeting their most urgent needs while addressing barriers to financial security.

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Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed.

At United Way, we call households that earn between the Federal Poverty Level (FPL) and the bare minimum cost to survive in a modern economy ALICE®. ALICE® is not a person, it's an acronym that stands for Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed. It describes households that work hard every day but fall short of earning enough to meet basic needs.

We recognize that people come to this experience with a wide range of experience and familiarity with living paycheck to paycheck. If at any time you feel triggered or overwhelmed, please feel free to take a break or exit the experience and seek support.

The Tough Choices Experience

Can you make it through the first two weeks of the month without running out of money?

Many hardworking ALICE® households face tough choices every day, and they are often one crisis away from financial despair. During this exercise, you'll navigate day-to-day decisions as someone living paycheck to paycheck in Indiana.

Select the household profile that you most identify with.

You have selected:

You now have some choices to make about how you will earn income and take care of the essential needs of your household. These essential needs include childcare, healthcare, housing, transportation, and communication.

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Did you know?

How confident are you that you’ll get through the first two weeks of the month with a positive balance?

Did you know? Struggling to meet everyday needs over long periods significantly worsens physical and mental health, leading to chronic stress, anxiety, and depression.

Decisions made:

    Your Balance:

    $0

    Did You Know?

    The Benefits Cliff

    Your Balance:

    Because you ran out of money, you won't be able to:

    • Cover unexpected emergencies
    • Save for future goals
    • Pay off existing debt
    • Access better healthcare
    Take action for ALICE

    1 in 3 households in Indiana struggle to meet their most essential needs. Is that acceptable to you?

    Sign Up to Receive Action Alerts

    Find your local United Way.

    Ready to get involved or make a financial contribution to support ALICE households achieve financial security? Enter your zip code and select the link to your local United Way to get started.