The Unemployment Survival Guide

Contact your lenders to explain the recent loss of income and find out if there is a way to defer or reduce payments. If you can no longer make your mortgage payments, contact a mortgage counselor at HopeNow (1-888-995-HOPE), a government-approved coalition of companies in the mortgage industry that provide free foreclosure-prevention assistance.

Seek Help

Before weeks turn into months, consider seeking help from an organization such as the CCCS of Greater Atlanta. A counselor can help set up a realistic budget and provide help working with creditors to avoid defaulting on loans. Counselors can help consumers who are in financial trouble as well as those at risk of getting into trouble.

Contact your town hall or county government to find out what social services are available. Residents of most states can also contact United Way's 211 by dialing 2-1-1 to get in touch with local food banks and low-cost services such as day care.

If you still have a job but are worried about job security, consider implementing some of these tactics before receiving a pink slip. Taking a more conservative line with your finances, including building up a bigger emergency fund, can make a few months of unemployment a lot easier to get through.