I haven't been in such a situation... but you said, "Sell any other assets you don't need for work (e.g. television, videogames, other non-essential and time-wasting items), use the money for food and debt service."

Is the $500 you're going to get for selling a TV and a video game system going to help that much? It seems that you should keep anything you actually use, to me - you're in enough stress as it is, you don't need to make yourself feel desperately poor.

Or am I missing something?