My husband works at an auto supplier and he was put on layoff shortly after Chrysler declared bankruptcy April 30. Although he is expected to go back to work, he is getting only unemployment benefits in the meantime.

You cannot expect a household budget to be “business as usual” when someone is on unemployment. The sooner you take effort to cut costs, the longer your money will last.

If you need tips on how to cut expenses, I have a series based on typical household budget categories at The Downsized Budget: How and Where to Cut Back. The examples given are for my local readers in Monroe County, Mich., but those of you who live elsewhere can adapt the ideas to your circumstances.