After working in executive management for over ten years with a steadily increasing salary, Rick Stephens, 51, was laid off from his job in June 2008. Two years of steady unemployment later, he has sold his car, moved in with his 75-year-old father and blown through all his retirement savings to stay afloat.

‘I pay my bills with what is left of the savings I accumulated by being frugal all my life, but I’m going through that pretty fast,