| National Debt Relief Program | | | | expenses. In the beginning it might be hard to talk |
| How To Survive Unemployment | | | | on your cell phone less often or go without cable |
| Losing your job is one of the worst things that | | | | television, but you'll adjust. Cutting back will stretch |
| could happen, especially in a period when hiring is | | | | your emergency fund further and keep you from |
| slow. With the right moves, you can make it | | | | relying on credit cards. |
| through an unemployment slump, keep your | | | | Keep Credit and Debt Under Control |
| credit intact, and continue to manage your debt. If | | | | Don't make any new credit card charges. Without |
| you haven't already done so - file for | | | | a reliable source of income, you can't afford make |
| unemployment. | | | | any new credit card purchases. Resist the |
| When you're job searching, you don't want to | | | | temptation to use your credit cards to keep your |
| worry about anything else, least of all your credit | | | | lifestyle at a pre-unemployment level. It won't |
| and debt. Those two things could play a significant | | | | take long for your credit card balances to get out |
| role in making your next career move. Many | | | | of control. Don't take on new debt. The last thing |
| employers use your credit history as one of the | | | | you need in this situation is another bill. Though |
| hiring factors. If you suddenly let your credit go | | | | you might be tempted to take out a personal |
| after losing your job, your employer could | | | | loan, now isn't the time. Put off car and home |
| conclude that you're not able to handle high | | | | purchases until after you've been gainfully |
| pressure situations. | | | | employed for a few months and you've had time |
| Get a Temporary Source of Income | | | | to rebuild your depleted emergency fund. |
| As you work on getting a new job, now's the | | | | Keep paying all your bills, even if it means making |
| time for some serious planning. First, find out if | | | | minimum payments. You can pick up with higher |
| you're eligible for unemployment benefits. You can | | | | payments after you've gotten a new job. Be |
| even file for unemployment online or over the | | | | extra careful not to be late on any payments. |
| phone. Check with your state's unemployment | | | | Late payment fees are an unnecessary expense |
| office to find out if you're eligible and whether you | | | | and make it harder to get caught up. Recognize |
| must apply in person. Use your emergency fund | | | | when you need help. Ask your creditors and |
| to bridge the gap between your unemployment | | | | lenders for help as soon as you see you'll need it. |
| benefits and severance pay (if any). This is the | | | | If you wait, it could be too late for them to do |
| reason you spent months building a solid | | | | anything for you. Consumer credit counseling is an |
| emergency fund. Use it to help pay the bills, but | | | | option if it gets hard to make your credit card |
| use it sparingly because you don't know how long | | | | payments. |
| you'll need it. | | | | You can make it through a period of |
| Rein in Your Expenses | | | | unemployment and maintain your credit and debt. |
| Re-assess your budget. You'll need to decrease | | | | You just have to make the most of your |
| your expenses to compensate for the decrease | | | | resources and avoid overtaxing yourself with |
| in your income. Sounds logical, right? Go through | | | | more debt. |
| your budget and cut out any and every luxury | | | | |