The economy is supposedly in recovery, but layoffs are still prominent in virtually every industry. Many more people than usual can relate to a phenomenon usually restricted to the over-60 set: living with an unemployed spouse.

While being laid off and entering into retirement are far from the same, they both often leave one half of a couple with extra time on their hands, and plenty of pent-up energy that their significant other, coming home after a long day at work, can't handle.Read: 4 Reasons To Date The Unemployed

WSJ.com recently wrote an article that shared a … Read More

It's been a month since my husband Marco's ex-firm broke up with him. And, like a romantic breakup, it takes time to heal—for us both.

I was on the road to such healing, eating ice cream in the middle of the day, when the doorbell rang. I finished a work call and opened the door. It was Marco's ex-coworker, dropping off seven cardboard boxes filled with the remnants of Marco's life with Ex-Firm. I felt a rush of betrayal. The ex-coworker is chipper and sweet, a decade or two my husband's junior. The break-up is not his fault, but … Read More

"Let's stop and get bagels," he said.

I ordered a sesame bagel toasted with cream cheese; he ordered a plain bagel, plain cream cheese. The total was $6. I paid.

He hadn't even made a move for his wallet. And it wasn't the first time.

Six months ago, I was laid off from a job I loved and a salary I really loved. I left with a nice little pile of severance and had accumulated a substantial 401K. But I was single. It makes a difference, it turns out.

Dating, for a period post-layoff, was about free entertainment.Read: Cheap Dates … Read More

They say you’re never supposed to talk about money, but in the recession, it’s kind of hard not to. Despite a growing savings rate, there has been massive income loss and a dramatic devaluing or even obliteration of assets. For a lot of us, money is forefront and ever-present on our minds.Read: Money Saving Tips

But should you bring it up in relationships? Absolutely, say CPAs, therapists, love coaches and relationship experts. In marriages, money has always been the number one cause of tension, regardless of whether we’re rolling in it or dining on Ramen noodles.

The California … Read More

Nice as it is to hear about indications that the economy is turning around, the layoffs aren't over yet. You've probably just heard that yet another colleague, friend, neighbor, congregant, teammate got the ax—or you will soon. If you've been there, you know how isolating and demoralizing it can be, even now that joblessness is more norm than humiliation, more zeitgeist than badge of shame.

How well you're acquainted with said laid-off person will inform how you proceed, of course. But some things never change—like the power of a reachout, a simple favor, and a sympathetic ear.

1.    Be there. … Read More

Carol M. knew she had a good thing in her boyfrirend, Eric. But earlier this year, when she lost her job as a schoolteacherand faced default on her subprime loan, it showed her just how caring and committed he was.

"We recently talked about being in a relationship, and one of the benefits of being in a relationship is you have someone on your side no matter what," she says. "We sit down and we talk about things. Last week we talked about having to file for bankruptcy."

Talking about money with a significant other can be a painful, awkward situation—especially when … Read More

Got something you need to know, but just can't ask your friends (or the freaks who weigh in on Yahoo Answers)? Ask Tuffy. She'll answer anything (seriously, anything!) honestly and without judgment. After all, her name isn't Sugar Coater. So shoot her an email: tuffyluv@collegecandy.com.

Dear Tuffy Luv,

I went out with a guy a few weeks ago. We had a really good time (I think?). We had a few drinks, then he drove me all the way home, even though I told him I could walk. The convo was great, we had a lot in common and I thought he … Read More

Amanda Petersen* was living the good life in suburban Detroit. The 40-year-old mother of two was the family breadwinner. A senior executive in a real estate development firm, Petersen's $200K job paid a generous bonus, offered stock options and a profit-sharing plan. It meant private school for the kids and enabled her to go on special trips with her husband, a firefighter, throw parties, and lavish gifts on family and friends. Laid off last spring, Petersen felt clobbered.

While lucky enough to find a job last summer as the administrator of a non-profit organization, Petersen earns only a third … Read More