I’m a private-pay service provider (think child therapist), and many of my clients’ parents are Feds. Of course I started working on credit when they stopped getting paid - kids still need my services, regardless of what happens with politics. But now we have the Fed household’s budget blown, and my household budget blown. I’ve stopped all discretionary spending and we are eating a lot of noodles and pantry staples. The pain rolls down - Feds are suffering most, but it is impacting the larger community, too.
This. I wonder how many kids are going without music lessons, people not getting haircuts, etc., etc.