Headline: Living Paycheck to Paycheck: Lynn Program Director Struggles Amid Rising Costs
LYNN, Mass. – Dalene Basden, a 71-year-old program director at the Children’s Friend and Family Services Clinic in Lynn, reports that rising costs for fuel and groceries have placed additional pressure on her household budget. Despite full-time employment, she states she is now living paycheck to paycheck.
"Despite working full-time, I am now living paycheck to paycheck."
Personal Financial Impact
Basden and her husband, who works driving a van for people with disabilities, previously spent between $300 and $400 per month on fuel. This cost has now exceeded $600 per month, forcing significant adjustments.
In response, Basden is reducing discretionary spending. She reports limiting non-essential driving for her adult son’s exercise trips and has substituted chicken for beef in meals. She also relies on a food pantry to help manage expenses.
Health and Medical Costs
Compounding the financial strain is Basden’s cancer diagnosis. She states this has introduced additional copayments and travel costs for treatment. Currently, she has five medical appointments in Boston scheduled for the current month alone.
Employment and Community Work
Basden continues her long tenure—over 30 years—as program director, supporting families with children who have special needs. The clinic is part of the Justice Resource Institute.
Despite her own hardship, she also performs volunteer work at a soup kitchen called My Brother's Table. Basden notes the irony of her situation: while she advises clients on budgeting, she is experiencing her own financial hardship.
She lives with her husband, their adult son, and two grandsons.