In the Depression, they embalmed farmers for cash-strapped families in exchange for a ham or a jug of cane syrup, and they lost the mansion to foreclosure.

The bank rejected the idea it's just a recession stock where cash-strapped families can buy a meal for a few dollars.

In tight economic times, the path of a relatively inexpensive two-year community college followed by a somewhat more expensive two years at a four-year public university, is often a more realistic choice for cash-strapped families.

Talk about a winter of discontent: just as the cuts start to bite and cash-strapped families cancel their holidays to the sun, Britain has its coldest December in 120 years.

Meanwhile, Jingwen works as a swimming coach to bring extra income to the cash-strapped family.

The latter provides emergency loans for cash-strapped families - saving them from loan sharks.

Fiscal prudence is all very well, but being dubbed the party that stood between cash-strapped families and a tax-break is unlikely to be a winning formula in an election year.

It is a little over £2 a week for each child, which may not sound much until you think that equates to £300 or £400 off the annual budget for every cash-strapped family with three or four kids, a serious hit that they can ill afford in current conditions.

The idea of staycations became popular during the recession when cash-strapped families opted for cheaper holidays on home soil rather than venture abroad.