As cities and states in the US continue to launch basic income programs, countries around the world are also experimenting with the no-strings-attached money initiatives. Basic income — recurring, unconditional payments — can describe two different programs: universal basic income (UBI) or guaranteed basic income (GBI). Both kinds of programs provide funds for people to spend where they need it most, as opposed to government assistance programs like SNAP or Medicaid that target specific spending categories, like food and healthcare.