An interesting week-long piece in the Daily Oklahoman newspaper:

"Paycheck to Paycheck: Priced Out of the Dream"

Readers are introduced to four Oklahomans struggling to subsist in a world where the breaks are seemingly all bad.

One thing seems evident: The cost of living in Oklahoma is very low, comparatively speaking. Wages for many folks, however, are much the same, and once poverty becomes the household norm, it is terribly difficult to overcome.

Additionally, I see the highlighted individuals repeatedly making poor decisions ... and it takes only a few to usher in far-reaching financial hardships.