I am married for 18 years, have two children, and have been unemployed for 18 months. Are savings are gone, bill collectors call every day. I covered the mortgage last week by incurring a bank charge. The account will be almost balanced tomorrow. Tomorrow I have to pay our Cobra Health Insurance payment which is $150 more than our mortgage or we will have no insurance. Last week I applied for my 175th job. 95% of the companies I applied to have never even wrote, called or emailed me back to tell me the position was filled. I contact them to get the information. I turned 49 last week. I am getting so desperate. I don't know how long this can go on. I'm beginning to think it will never get better.

We are in very unfortunate times. Many people can empathize with your situation.

I can only say take it day by day, although I am sure that is what you are already doing and have been for 18 months. Look for alternative insurance than COBRA, which can sometimes be a lot higher than getting health insurance for your family on your own. Do you qualify for any state help, even if just for health insurance for the children, or assistance with food costs, utility bills?

Also, do you have a local community college that could help with revamping your resume and teaching you tips on getting your resume and cover letter noticed? This is usually done in the Career Services department and may be open to the public.

Often times, becoming underemployed, although not a great option, helps cover your work history, so you are applying as currently employed, as employment gaps can cause some employers to look past your resume. It is definitely an employers market, as many employers receive hundreds of over qualified applicants as our economy continues to suffer.

Hopefully you find some useful tips, but these are all I can think of.