After the worst recession since the early 20th century, millions of Americans are trying to rebuild their shattered finances. Countless families have seen their Savings slashed by falling real estate prices, plummeting retirement portfolios and various unexpected expenses.

According to a recent study commissioned by the Consumer Federation of America, nearly two in five American workers lack any savings cushion at all. Even more troubling, only 30 percent of wage-earners express confidence that they’ll be able to retire at age 65. In other words, most Americans expect to remain in the workforce well into their golden years.

If you’re worried about how you’ll afford to retire before you turn 80, you may need to reorder your Financial thinking. As your debts mount and your savings wither away, you’ll soon be forced to make some tough choices. Left untreated, your debt disease may force you to take drastic measures to preserve your family’s quality of life. Bankruptcy could be just around the corner.

It’s hard to know where to turn for sound financial advice. According to the Consumer Federation, more than half of all Americans question the motives of their financial planners. A similar proportion believe that they’ll lose the funds that they entrust to an investment professional. The nonstop news reports about corrupt Wall Street types gambling away their clients’ hard-earned funds may finally have taken their toll.

Despite the bad press surrounding the financial industry, there are still professionals to whom you can turn for sound advice. Talk to a trusted local financial provider and explain that you’d like to shed your debts and start saving for retirement. He or she will be more than happy to discuss your long-term investment options and may be able to offer some tips for building a short-term savings cushion as well.

Before you can think about the future, you’ll need to take care of the present. Your financial planner will be sure to discuss the importance of making and sticking to a Household Budget.

To strengthen your family’s budget, look for savings in unexpected places. For instance, your kids might leave the television on all night and your spouse might run the dishwasher at half-capacity. You might even be guilty of leaving the lights on downstairs while everyone in the house is tucked away in bed. Correcting these little problems could result in big savings.

Careful financial planning isn’t worth a whit without a meaningful income stream. If your current salary barely covers your day-to-day living expenses and debt payments, you may need to look for other sources of income.

There are plenty of ways to boost your income without taking on a second full-time job. If you’ve had your hours cut at your primary job recently, talk to your superiors and explain that your family’s finances have suffered as a result. Offer to take on new responsibilities in exchange for longer hours. Since firms prefer to increase the working hours of current employees before making new hires, your boss might just take you up on your offer.

Part-time second jobs and freelance assignments may be viable income-boosting options as well. While it might not be glamorous, a part-time evening job at a local supermarket could provide the boost that you need to stay solvent. Likewise, you may be able to leverage your skills to pick up freelance jobs online. If you have a knack for writing or programming, you’ll have plenty of lucrative options at your disposal.

If you still need help after making a household budget and picking up a side job or two, Debt Consolidation USA may be able to help. With its powerful debt settlement program on your side, you may be able to slash your debts in half within a few years.

Before you know it, you could be back on the road to financial freedom. Call or fill out Debt Consolidation USA’s online form today.