Shortchanged: life and debt in the fringe economy

pt. I. Overview of the fringe economy

1. America's changing fringe economy

2. Why the fringe economy is growing

3. Debt and the functionally poor middle class

pt. II. The fringe sectors

4. The credit card industry

5. Storefront loans : pawnshops, payday loans, and tax refund lenders

6. Alternative services : check-cashers, the rent-to-own industry, and telecommunications

7. Fringe housing

8. Real estate speculation and foreclosure

9. The fringe auto industry

10. The getting-out-of-debt industry

pt. III. Looking forward

11. What can be done to control the fringe economy?

Glossary.