ECONOMIC SURVIVAL GUIDE
In these tough economic times, we offer readers a survival guide, in the form of brief artciles to help them cope.
OVERVIEW Not all tips are helpful
JOB LOSS Unemployment benefits
MEDICATION How to get prescription help
COBRA Getting on COBRA
HEATING AID Help with heat
MORTGAGE HELP Ways to stay in your home
FOOD Food services: Do you qualify?
UTILITIES Help with utility bills
TRANSPORTATION Bus, train info
CLOTHING Good clothing for e few dollars
With the recession in full swing, a number of people are finding cars a burden because they have become more expensive to insure, register, maintain and operate. A growing number of people have had their cars repossessed because they were unable to make the loan payments.

As a result, more people may be thinking about public transportation. Though not as developed or user friendly as in Europe, it's available in a large number of communities.

By using a computer, it is easy to find where and when trains, buses and van pools are available to link riders to jobs or shopping areas. If you don't have a computer, try the nearest public library, where they can be used for free, although you may have a wait.

Useful sites:

www.ctrides.com, which provides information along with toll-free phone numbers for information pertaining to many towns in Fairfield, New Haven and Hartford counties.

www.metropool.com, which provides information on employer and commuter services, and transit resources. Phone: 1-800 346-3743

www.gbtabus.com, operated by the Greater Bridgeport Transit Authority, which offers about a dozen bus routes designed to help riders get to work, stores or medical facilities. Locations included on the routes are The Dock Shopping Center and the Hawley Lane Mall in Stratford, the Post Road from Norwalk to Milford, The Westfield Trumbull Mall, Trumbull Corporate Park

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and downtown Shelton. GBTA personnel offer individualized instruction from place of origin to destination for persons who have never ridden a public bus. The GBTA buses link to other buses offered by the Valley, Milford and Norwalk transit districts to broaden the possibilities of local travel. GBTA buses also help commuters reach Metro-North train stations. From Bridgeport, you can take the Waterbury line to Shelton/Derby, Ansonia, Seymour, Beacon Falls, Naugatuck andWaterbury. Traveling east by train to New Haven, you can transfer to the Shore Line East line that ends in Old Saybrook. Trains traveling west from Bridgeport stop in Norwalk, Stamford and New York City. Phone: 333-3031

www.norwalktransit.com/coastal_link.htm Operates buses that run from Norwalk to Milford. Phone: 852-0000

www.mta.info/mnr, Metro-North Railroad, operates trains from New York City to New Haven and north to Waterbury. For infromation call1-800-638-7646