There are many ways to give yourself some breathing room in a financial downturn. Refinancing, consolidating debt, using low-or-no interest balance transfers, eating in, using the library, taking a second job--but one often-overlooked option could put money instantly in your pocket.
In an emergency, you need your money more than the government does. By adjusting your withholding from your paycheck, you can get an instant raise. Think--if the reason you need money is that you are earning less than before, the money you don't withold is likely to be money you are entitled to anyway. Ditto for those whose interest rates have risen. If you deduct your mortgage interest, you will have a greater deduction at tax time. But why not take the money now, when you really need it?
