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Middle-class blues
Rent-to-own is option for those who need one
Like so many people, Kris Weber, 37, never imagined she'd be in this prickly place at this time in her life.
Five years ago, the office manager for an Andover dentist was married and living in a seven-bedroom, two-bath family home in Coon Rapids that she and her husband had bought from his parents for about $260,000. His three nephews and a niece lived with them on and off. Between their two jobs, they paid their bills and had a little left over for the movies and trips to the Minnesota Zoo. Today?
Weber is getting divorced, the house is on the brink of foreclosure and she's downsized considerably, living with her dog and cat in a two-bedroom, one-bath twin home in Anoka.
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Middle-class blues
A father humbled and heartsick
Jeff Heimer of Blaine lives better than many these days. But he aches for his adult children, whose struggles seem to grow by the day.
Photo right: Three generations of Heimers
Middle-class blues
College debt a heavy burden
Saddled with big student loans, this young couple rents out their basement and taps their line of credit to make ends meet.
More from this series:
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Middle-class blues: Frustrated on a fixed income
Despite simple living, this retired couple still worry their money won't go far enough. -
Middle-class blues: Doing well, but still feeling a pinch
Saving and living simply, these newlyweds are nervous about their financial future. -
Middle-class blues: 'No financial wiggle room'
Anxious families are feeling the strain of an economy on the edge and finding it's easy to fall behind.