I suspect that a recession would hit three groups harder than others: those who are working in noncontract lower than median income jobs (they've already been hit harder by gasoline/transportation and winter utility costs, as well as health care and food, as these form a larger % of their net income), those who are living on SS or pension (with or without any PT work) of less than say $14k yearly, and those whose income comes mainly from stock/bond/other interest income.
I'm probably closest to the second category, and am enlarging the vegetable garden this year, getting a few more fruit trees etc. Any extra produce that I don't choose to freeze/can/dehydrate for myself for winter use will always be welcome at a food bank/pantry or at the WIC office in a nearby town, and some of the semirural older than I am neighbors have been asking if they could buy some, but it isn't ready yet.
Would like to do more to cut energy costs for winter, but other than caulking again this fall or sewing an extra quilt or window curtain, don't know what else I can afford and do myself.
Nonspecialized parttime jobs at or near minimum wage ($5.15- c. $9 hour) will be harder to come by in a recession as there will be far more competition for them. Teens the last few years have been impacted in the summer and afterschool job markets by more of these jobs going to illegals, and more lower income retired people have begun seeking PT or FT jobs--and not everyone is looking to be a Walmart greeter.
