Working-class mothers in the post-recession economy: Some sobering stats

The study focused on mothers ages 18 to 54 with household income between $30,000 and $49,000 – an amount that generally does not qualify for government assistance. Research included a survey, focus groups, in-home interviews, shop-alongs and analysis of secondary research.

Regardless of profession, as a group the demographic has been hit hard in recent years, C-K said, experiencing significant changes in employment during the last five years:

35% lost their job
35% had their pay cut
33% began working multiple jobs
19% went from full-time to part-time work

"Over half of the women we spoke to felt worse off financially than before the recession," C-K said in a statement. "These consumers consider themselves forever changed.

"Of those we spoke with, 84% said they wouldn’t go back to their old spending habits, even if the economy were to rebound or their circumstances were to change," according to the study.