The Zambia Financial Diaries is a year-long panel study that collects data each week on all transactions performed by respondents - all sales and purchases, income earned from informal or formal labor, uses of financial tools, and exchanges of in-kind goods. The purpose of the study is to develop...

This is a case study of "The Johnsons," a family studied as part of the U.S. Financial Diaries project. The Johnsons have significant challenges keeping their family afloat. Despite multiple sources of income, which include education aid, their income is volatile and irregular. Their expenses also...

This is a household profile of a participant in the U.S. Financial Diaries project. Mateo Valencia, 31, and Lucia Benitez, 30, are an unmarried couple living in Queens with their four year- old son Pablo. Mateo and Lucia are undocumented immigrants, and the realities and dangers of living in the...

New financial services cannot increase household incomes. However, there is tremendous potential for high-quality financial services to help households achieve greater financial health and better manage income uncertainty. In this research note, we explore the concept of uncertain incomes through...

We deployed field researchers into communities in California, Mississippi, New York, Ohio, and Kentucky to delve into the intimate financial details of approximately 200 households. Over the course of a year, field researchers visited each family once or twice a month, logging detailed information...

The US Financial Diaries track the finances of a small sample of low and moderate-income households over a year. The households faced substantial swings in income from month to month. On average, they experienced 2.5 months when income fell more than 25 percent below average, and 2.6 months when...

The Rodriguez’ enjoy a measure of financial health and security. Maria and her husband, Dean, will soon have the first mortgage paid off on their four-bedroom, two-bathroom house. Buttressed by regular payments from Social Security and other federal benefits, the five members of the household...

One of the core findings of the US Financial Diaries is the prevalence of income volatility. On average, our households experience six months when income is 20% above or below their typical monthly income. In theory, households should react to volatile incomes by building up savings in months where...

This is a household profile of a participant in the U.S. Financial Diaries project. Sandra Young, 52, is an African American woman living in Brooklyn with her grown children: Tyler, 25, and Kayla, 24. Sandra manages several branches of a tax preparation agency, which means that she earns most of...

This is a brief New York Times article on income volatility and paying the bills, discussing 2013 Federal Reserve survey data and US Financial...

Income volatility is an emerging, critical issue for understanding financial security today. American households seem to be facing increased instability and unpredictability in their financial lives. Despite the efforts of scores of researchers, there is no consensus on the extent of volatility...

Concern about financial literacy is rising. But national surveys of financial literacy are not very helpful regarding the literacy characteristics of the poor. This case study uses the financial diary method to examine the financial literacies of 13 poor Canadians. The results found that most...