File for Unemployment

• It can take weeks to get your unemployment benefits processed. If you have a high cost of living or are supporting a family, each day you experience a delay only compounds your financial stress. Don't waste time and file for unemployment immediately upon being laid off. Unemployment benefit processes vary by state. Contact a local municipal office for further direction and guidance on what forms you'll need to document your previous year's earnings, which dictate the amount of your unemployment benefits.
  
  

Get Health Coverage

• When you're laid off and have little to no income flowing in, the last thing you want is to gamble on your health. All it takes is one accident or medical emergency to mire you even further into financial difficulty. If you're married, you may be able to receive coverage from your spouse through his insurance. Otherwise, you'll likely want to get COBRA insurance -- a federal program that allows you to continue the health insurance you received through your previous employer, but with you handling all the associated costs without employer subsidization. If you don't want to pay for COBRA, you may be able to find cheaper options through individual, high-deductible polices -- call the various insurance providers in your state to see if that's an option for you and your individual health circumstances.
  
  

Widen Your Job Search

• You may feel over qualified for a seasonal or part-time job, but following a lay-off, it can help alleviate some of your financial stress. Cast your job search net wide and don't focus your job hunting solely within your industry of experience. Once you start a part-time job, you'll have a little more financial freedom to take your time and search for a more relevant means of employment that meets your past experience or passions. For additional help in finding and landing a job, you may also consider soliciting the services of either a temp job agency or a headhunter that can help comb through job listings for you.
  
  

Stay Active

• If you've been laid off and can't find any job at all, don't spend your days indoors at home. It can become easy to feel like giving up or like your employment situation is hopeless. Staying active, both physically via exercise, as well as emotionally, can help keep your perspective positive, and this can show through in your job interviews and interpersonal relationships. Consider volunteering at a community center, offering your services at your religious institution or tutoring local school kids.
  
  

Raise Money

• Just because you've lost your traditional job doesn't mean you can't raise money creatively. Turn your past job experience into a side job by offering consulting services. For example, someone who worked as a professional marketer could provide marketing consultations to local nonprofits and small businesses. Additionally, consider selling your time or labor. For example, someone with a detailed eye could offer housekeeping services. And don't discount the old proverb of one man's junk is another man's treasure -- you can sell unwanted items online or through local classified ads. You may want to sell certain luxury items, such as televisions, exercise equipment or jewelry to help with day-to-day costs as well.
  
  

Reduce Living Expenses

• Analyze your lifestyle and identify expenses that aren't essential, then consider cutting those expenses. Common unnecessary expenses include dining out, cable television fees, gym memberships, your daily latte habit and premium automobile fuel. To cut back on gas prices, you can start biking to your destinations. Again, every little bit counts.