Have an emergency fund.

An emergency fund is a savings in place for real emergencies. Losing a job can be really rough. An account holding six months of living expenses can make that job loss a much easier transition. By avoiding the additional stresses of attempting to support your family with no income, you can more calmly set about preparing and looking for a new job. In the current economy, many experts are recommending an emergency fund of 12 months because of the difficulties many are facing in finding new jobs.