One-Quarter of US List Home Address as 'In the Poorhouse'

"The survey found that those in financial trouble have a good handle on their monthly balances and know when they need help," says Keith Weinberger, director of marketing at CashNet.com.

It's not a pretty picture, but according to CashNet, even Americans struggling at poverty levels seem to have not given up hope. The U.S. economy has historically been a resilient one, and Americans of all economic stripes seem to be counting on that.

So, to millions of Americans down on their luck financially, the fire still burns, and to them it's not a matter of "if" the economy recovers and they exit the poorhouse, but "when."

--By Brian O'Connell