The economy has everyone on edge. Perhaps you are one of those unfortunate Americans who have recently lost their job and are looking for a new one. Or maybe you’re a stay at home parent who needs to earn an income to help ease the pressure of rising costs in the household by rejoining the work force. Overcoming this rough economic spot can be done, with careful planning, budgeting, sacrifice and awareness.

The first thing you have to do is not panic. Assess the situation. How much money do you need to bring in? Knowing how much you need to earn will help you determine if the job(s) you are offered will be sufficient enough to make your time and effort worthwhile. There are costs associated with returning to work if you are a stay at home parent – for example, if you need to pay for childcare in order to go to work you may find that those costs eat most of your income, and therefore it doesn’t make as much sense to return to work. One way to eliminate this problem is to look for a job which only schedules you to work when your children are in school, or to enroll the children in an after school activity that is less expensive than babysitters or daycare.

Another way you may rejoin the workforce while saving money on childcare is to work from home. The consumer market industry is taking off right now. With the economy the way it is, most retailers are investing money to see what people are purchasing. So many consumer marketing industries are hiring survey takers to rate products, and spending habits. This can be done from home on your own time. There are many opportunities for legitimately earning money from home, especially if you have some specialized skills like writing, graphic design or web programming.

Another thing to consider when rejoining the workforce is the actual cost of going to work. The more professional the job you are seeking the more professional you need to look and the more education or extra training you may need. You may also have to lower wage expectations to make yourself more attractive than others seeking the same job. These are costs that can add up quickly, and if you are looking to supplement your current household income, these costs may be more of a burden then the job benefits.

You can survive this economic down turn. Just don’t panic, assess your situation and consider any hidden costs that may come up before accepting a job.