Before the recession, Shannon was a waitress, her husband worked in lawn care, and they were making it.

“We were your everyday, pretty much blue-collar family. And we used to be able to have a decent life,” said Shannon, 30, of Kenosha, who was too embarrassed to use her real name.

Since the recession began, Shannon and her husband, 28, have kept their jobs. But those jobs pay far less.

“I’m making 25 to 30 percent less than I was six months ago — same hours, same shift here in town at a very popular restaurant,” she said. “People are still coming out to eat — more than you would expect — but people are ordering less or just water or splitting plates or tipping less.”

Her husband’s income also has taken a roughly 30 percent hit.

“My husband’s lawn care service has lost 20 accounts,” Shannon said.

People are still paying other people to mow their lawns, she explained. They’re just paying unemployed family and friends instead of services.

Even before their incomes were cut, Shannon and her husband lived thoughtfully: no credit cards, no car payments, hand-me-down clothes for the kids, plenty of coupons and generic brand foods.

And Shannon was determined to keep her family financially on track, despite the downturn and 11 weeks of unemployment after giving birth; her son is 3½ months old, her daughter 4½ years old.

Falling behind

But little by little, they fell behind.

As of October, they owed two months back rent, with November’s rent quickly coming due. They needed $2,700 to catch up.

Community Action couldn’t given them that much money; the housing assistance agency only has about $300,000 each year to help area families facing homelessness or a housing crisis.

Shannon and her husband got $500, plus a deal with their landlord to work off some of the debt and pay the rest of it come tax time.

“It’s a complete blessing,” Shannon said. “There are people who are homeless. There are children out there, people out there who are in so much pain you’d never know. I feel blessed.”

And embarrassed.

“I went to college. I have a bachelor’s degree,” she said.

New reality

Community Action, public assistance of any kind, weren’t part of the script she wrote for her life. Until they were.

Shannon said she sees value in her situation, namely the opportunity to remember what’s truly important.

“Even in our situation, I think it’s good for me. I think it’s good for my generation. We’re going to get through it,” she said.

But life has definitely changed.

“I think about money with every decision we make. It adds up,” Shannon said.

“We don’t even buy soda anymore. We can drink Walmart brand Crystal Light. You get three pitchers for two bucks. We drink peach tea.”