But you actually earn money, Rick. And not getting the
DAN EP will haunt me forever.

Well I wouldn't go so far as to say I
earn it but I know what you mean. And as I put in the employed thread I know some of what you're going through.
Not fun but the top tip is to learn to live on acceptably on nothing when you are unemployed then carry on living like that whenever you can once you start getting paid. You'll soon find you have spare cash aplenty. I saw so many people get their first job out of uni and instantly start a lifestyle where they were living only just within their means, exactly as before.
R