It finally is official: The economic hard times are here. On Dec. 1, 2008, the nonprofit organization charged with alerting us after the fact as to when the country is in recession, the National Bureau of Economic Research, put away its sliderules and finally, officially, resignedly declared the United States's economy was now in recession... and had been in recession since December 2007.

Not that we're saying, "We told you so," but for more than a year, we -- along with hundreds of thousands of other Americans making their living in the real world -- had been saying the same thing.

We knew it was time to get ready for a downturn in the economy. The Fed was finally getting it right, slashing interest rates, as the stock market went into freefall, and the U.S. Treasury started scrambling to pump money wildly out into the financial banking system in an effort to keep a lid on the upcoming credit liquidity and lurking recession.

So the news is official. And this recession could be a nasty one, lasting well into 2010.

Or could it last a lot longer? Read this startling article by financial analyst Claus Vogt, who compares this current recession's trends with those of the Great Depression....

But there is something you can do, today, to help relieve your debt and prepare for the worst. We've assembled this list of helpful links here to help you survive this lingering recession and deal with the rising cost of living.

6 steps to get out of debt -- Here's a simple plan to take what you earn, break it down into chunks, payoff debt faster and quicker than you ever thought, and get free from debt.

5 quick ways to get out of a cash crisis -- Being broke is no fun. Here's 5 simple ways to survive a 'cash crisis' and find the money you need to get caught up on your bills.

Diversify your income with a homebased business -- Now is the time to protect yourself from unexpected job loss. The Web makes it easy to turn your good ideas into a successful home-based business that you can run part-time or full-time, a business where you call the shots and earn what you're worth. Here's two simple ways to cash in on what you know best, get started publishing it on your own website, and learn how to make more money online writing about your hobbies, your interests and your passions.

How to cut down on gas consumption -- The price of gas keeps rising. Here are simple strategies to help you save money at the gas pump.

Rising loan payments: what to do next -- If you're one of the millions of americans who are now scrambling to deal with rising loan payments on your home mortgage, you know that you need a plan to learn how to deal with these mortgage resets and rising loan payments.

Save money on your automobile insurance premiums -- There are simple ways to ensure that you are getting the best value on your car insurance. And it's not always changing insurance companies! Here's some simple ways to save money on your car insurance.

Are debt consolidation loans right for you? -- There are pros and cons when it comes to taking out a debt consolidation loan. You've got to understand that you are reshuffling your debts, not eliminating them. Good news: a debt consolidation loan or a home equity line of credit can often be the perfect solution to help you weather the storm of a recession.

Print grocery coupons to save money -- There are literally thousands of coupon, promo code and rebate websites on the Internet, all offering to save you money. You can find the very best here at Money-Saving-Coupons.net.

How clipping coupon can help you save money -- As a follow-up article, here's great advice on the how-what-where-when of coupon clipping. Great cupon advice that can really set you on the path to saving money!

Get a better credit score -- It really pays to fix your credit rating. Hundreds of free articles and free reports on everything from disputing errors in your credit report to finding debt relief are just one click away at www.FindHow2.com.

Legal debt collection tips -- Keeping tight controls on your accounts receivables and collecting most of your past due accounts will help keep your business afloat during recessions. Here are simple steps to take to ensure that you get paid so your business can survive.

Article: "6 Steps To Financially Surviving A Recession" -- The CubeMonkey.com offers great tips on how to get ready for and get through a recession. Good info for everyone!