Affordability isn’t just about high prices. It’s about whether people have enough money in their pockets to cover the basic essentials. Broken markets and broken incomes are dual drivers of the current cost of living crisis.   This report from Economic Security Project explores how direct cash support can help families meet everyday needs, navigate rising costs, and gain greater financial stability and flexibility. It also challenges policymakers and funders to address broken incomes with commonsense, and proven tax credit policies that create tax fairness at the top and bottom.