Unemployment Insurance

Employers are required by law to pay unemployment tax. You've earned it. Visit your state's unemployment office, listed in the blue pages of the telephone book, to register and start collecting those weekly checks until you're gainfully employed again.

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• Connect with the Internet

  The Internet has changed the way employers look for employees. In fact, many large companies use the Internet exclusively to screen applicants, so log on and connect up with your next employer. Here are links to two of the biggest sites on the Net: Monster.com and Career Builder.com.

• Use an Employment Service

  Register with several different employment agencies. Meet with a counselor (think of it as a practice job interview), make a good impression and get them looking for you, too. A word of caution: never pay an employment agency for their services. The employer should always pay.

• Employers can Check your Credit

  When interviewing for a job, it's good to know what is on your credit report, since employers can check your credit both before they hire you and once you're employed. If there is anything negative on your credit report, it's important that you know, so you are prepared to explain the circumstances if your potential employer asks. If you are turned down for a job because of your credit, the employer must show you the report.

• Build New Skills

  If you are temporarily unemployed, take a computer class through the local adult education office or audit a course at the local community college. Learn how to use new software in order to make yourself a better job candidate.

• 5 Dangers of Paying with a Debit Card

  1. Loss limits - Like credit cards, federal law limits your liability for fraudulent transactions on a debit card to $50. But that's only if you notify your financial institution within two days of discovering the theft, so if you aren’t vigilante, you could lose everything. 2. Reimbursement delays on fraudulent charges - If someone has fraudulently used your credit card, you don't have to pay the charge. But when somebody has fraudulently used your debit card, the money comes directly out of your account right away. That means that you are out the money until the bank is done investigating your fraud claim. 3. Reimbursement delays on merchant disputes - If you have a problem with an item purchased online when paying with a credit card, you can dispute the charge and stop payment. If you used your debit card, the charge is paid when you made the order so the merchant has your cash and you have to fight to get your money back. 4. Overdrafts - Overdraft charges have sky-rocketed recently and often those overdrafts are the result of a debit card transaction. Many consumers mistakenly believe that if they don’t have the money in their accounts, their bank wouldn't approve the debit charge. But unless you "opt out" of automatic overdraft protection, a $5 purchase could cost you $35 in overdraft fees. 5. Skimming – Criminal have been using "skimming" machines to steal card data and make charges to those account. When your debit card is skimmed, your bank account can be drained of money before you realize it. To read more about protecting yourself from identity theft, visit the Federal Trade Commission website.