Boston Gal's Open Wallet

"I think people have been lulled into living beyond their means, and so they're overextended and that makes them feel unsafe now that things don't look as rosy," said Elizabeth Sloan, a professional counselor who practices in Glenn Dale and Frederick. "That feeling of not being safe then drives their fears, and everything that their partner does regarding money is now under scrutiny."

Kathleen and Danny Goldstein said they don't feel overextended but are certainly worried about the economy. One of their priorities, they said, is to have an emergency fund with enough money to cover three months' worth of expenses. They are also determined to remain debt-free in case either loses a job.

"The possibility of a recession makes us nervous," said Kathleen Goldstein, 33, though not to the point of therapy. Her husband, 31, sells information technology to the federal government, and "if they are not funded, it affects his job," she said.