In this study, household livelihood strategies in an Albanian village are investigated using income, expenditure and material asset accounts for the village's economy, supplemented by an analysis of qualitative data. Households were divided into thriving; surviving; and struggling categories, and attention focused on how they viewed and interacted with the community, the market and the state. The results indicate the importance of a household's material, human and social resource base in determining its success. The widespread disappearance of full-time salaried jobs has especially and adversely affected women: but the social safety net has been crucial in preventing destitution.