recession--or no?

I'm currently working on a story on how to best prepare for a recession (as you can ask 100 people and get 100 different answers, the story doesn't touch on whether we're in a recession or not but rather operates on the supposition that we are or, at the very least, are headed that way.)

What to do? Some ideas to weigh:

* Trim debt as much as possible--possibilities of layoffs or hiring slowdowns is no time to carry the excess baggage of credit card debt and the like. If you have extra, pay off the plastic.

* If you don't have to, don't sell your house. The fact that home prices are plummeting isn't news--if your home is down 10 to 20 percent or even more in value, sit tight and wait for prices to rebound.

* Pursue additional skills and training. The first to be laid off are often those deemed the most expendable. Boost your security by broadening your value to your employer.

Jeff