Unemployed Nation: America's Shrinking Payroll

Compounding the situation, Steinbrecher kept all of her sons' college savings in stocks. Those have dropped 30 percent in value.

"It's sad because you want the best education for your kids and everybody. But everybody keeps announcing layoffs," she said. "Where are we all going to get jobs at?"

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Steinbrecher wishes there was more job training available for people like her.

She has a bachelor's degree in business administration and was halfway to a graduate degree in instructional technology. Xerox was reimbursing her for the tuition and now she is responsible for the cost.

One of the hardest parts of being unemployed for Steinbrecher is forcing herself to go to networking meetings, trying to find new contacts and set herself apart from younger workers who are often cheaper.

"I hate doing networking, because I feel like I am selling Avon," she said.

But ultimately, it is the bills causing the most problems.

"I bought an American car [before being laid off] because I didn't want to see another American go to the unemployment line," she said. "Now I don't know how I am going to pay for my new Ford."