Basic income lets some parents afford toys and new shoes for their kids. One mother said it was 'life-changing.'

• Beyond necessities, some parents spend basic income on toys and activities for their children.
• Participants say buying some nonessential items improved their family's quality of life.
• Some benefits of GBI can be difficult to measure in quantitative data, experts say.

At the store, Monique Gonzalez's daughters chose matching pairs of Converse high-tops. They were beaming, eager to show their new sneakers to their friends at school.