The federal budget battle over the summer was not kind to U.S. markets and broader economic recovery efforts; but if there was a silver lining to the debt-ceiling debate, it was perhaps that Congress learned a lesson. They appeared to plan ahead this time around--a bipartisan spending bill is expected to pass before the Friday deadline. So the government looked like it had the financial cover it needed to avoid a shut down but Eight Forty-Eight wondered how everyone else should adjust to uncertain times. Can people protect their pocketbooks? Matthew Sapaula joined Eight Forty-Eight with his ideas. Sapaula is the host of the Money Smart Show podcast and was recently a financial coach on MSN Money’s reality show The Invested Life.