Budget after a layoff: what did you cut first?

We are a household of 6 and need to cut costs quickly. I would rather hear the honest version than the polite one. I am nervous about the credit card minimums. Did any lender work with you?

Ask your utility about hardship programmes. Mine knocked a bit off my bill for several months.

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.