This is a household profile of a participant in the U.S. Financial Diaries project. Tim and Clara Adrian are in their early 30’s and live in Mississippi in a four-bedroom house that they own. While Tim and Clara both earn regular incomes, however, the linchpin in their budget is the income they earn from caring for foster children – income that is erratic and, in many ways, beyond their control. The payments often come after the due dates for various bills, including expenses connected with the foster children. As a result, the Adrians regularly miss payments for their recurring bills such as utilities, and it is not uncommon for them to pay a few months’ worth of payments at once, along with associated late fees or penalties.