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.