Negotiating pay when I have been out of work - any advice?

I have been out of work for 9 weeks and feel pressure to accept less. I have read a lot of threads here and could not find my exact situation. I looked up ranges in Raleigh and they vary a lot. What did you say?

Keep everything in writing and save the confirmation numbers. It saved me later.

Benefits matter too. A slightly lower rate with better coverage was better for me.