Negotiating pay when I have been out of work (update)

A recruiter asked for my salary expectations on a first call as I look for work as a social media manager. I would rather hear the honest version than the polite one. I do not want to price myself out. Does giving a range hurt?

Thanks for writing this out. I went through something close to it last year, and it settled down once I kept a simple log of every call and form.