That includes tens of thousands of government and military employees across North Carolina. While impacted federal employees will receive back pay, experts say the current uncertainty can create financial stress.
"I think the critical thing is just immediately cutting spending," said Gray Pendleton, CEO of Pendleton Financial in Raleigh.
Pendleton suggests trying to cut all non-essential expenses until there's more clarity about the end of the shutdown. That includes travel, leisure and recreational activities, subscriptions, and going out to eat or drink.
He said drawing out of a savings account can be helpful and he included a word of caution.
"If you have savings, use them carefully," he said. "But certainly I would avoid tapping retirement accounts unless it's, you know, truly a last resort sort of situation."
Pendleton told ABC11 that many banks and credit unions offer hardship programs for customers who lose their jobs or are without a paycheck, and that impacted workers should reach out to learn more. He also suggested that those who are financially stable enough to save use this as a reminder of the importance of having money on hand in case of an emergency.
"A good barometer is three to six months of savings," he said. "And generally, the rule of thumb is if there were two earners in the household, three months of savings, three months of expenses."
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He also said it's important people plan for the worst, even as a resolution to the shutdown remains unclear. The last time the government shut down in 2018, it lasted for more than a month.
"We're also having this huge reduction in force going on," he said. "So some of these folks that may not be working now, you know, there's a chance that they may not -- they may have to find different employment elsewhere. So just be mindful of that and try to be very cautious about your spending."