You got laid off... The washing machine broke down... You ve got bed bugs.

You ve already spent your tax refund on new tires for your car, so what can you do? If the current downturn has taught consumers anything, it s to prepare for unexpected scenarios. Getting caught off-guard by an unforeseen event like a layoff or an emergency home repair is hard enough. But not being financially prepared ideally, with six months worth of living expenses can be devastating.

For many consumers, that fund may be running a little short. For others, it may be empty. To help you drum up some fast funds to handle whatever emergency comes your way, here are five moves you can make.

Try Peer-to-Peer Lending

The kindness of strangers isn't far out of reach, thanks to the increasing popularity of peer-to-peer lending sites like Prosper.com and Virgin Money, which facilitate loans between individuals. Here's how it works: Cash-strapped consumers create a profile on the lending site, detailing how much they need and why. (Expect to undergo a credit check and answer questions from prospective lenders about your financial situation.) Interested lenders extend offers and set terms, which you can accept or decline.

To maximize your chances, read our guide Should your loan be funded, you'll also pay a fee. Prosper.com, for example, charges 3% of the amount borrowed or $75, whichever is greater.

Sell something

Before you incur financial penalties for tapping your assets or borrowing money, clean your house and start collecting unwanted items, says Greg McBride, a senior financial analyst for Bankrate.com. A garage or yard sale takes a day or two to organize, and you can easily reel in $100 or more by selling clothing, toys and other household goods.

Just be sure to save collectibles or hot items to sell on Amazon.com (AMZN) or eBay (EBAY) . The latter permits listings for as little as 24 hours, as well as three- and five-day increments. Just about anything goes, from a tragic '80s bridesmaid dress to barely-used golf clubs. Keep in mind that even if your item doesn't sell, you'll be out the listing fee (between 10 cents and $4, depending on the item and listing details). Surf through current auctions to see what comparable items are going for, and then set your starting price at a competitive level. (Factor in that you'll be charged at least an 8.75% fee on the winning bid.) Consider lumping items like books, CDs and DVDs together into multiple-item lots to attract more bidders.

For more strategies to host a successful sale, read our story.

Cash out CDs

The penalty for cashing out a certificate of deposit or savings bond is barely a slap on the wrist. You ll lose out on future interest, and usually, the most recent month s interest paid, but you ll still walk away with the money you originally invested. Someone cashing in a $5,000 one-year, 2.06% CD five months early, for example, would get $5,052 instead of $5,104 a loss of about $52. In comparison, covering the emergency by charging $5,000 on a credit card with a 13.81% APR would cost you $283 in finance charges, assuming you made the minimum monthly payment of $100 for five months until the CD matured and you could pay the remaining bill in full.

Of course, you can always reinvest any portion of the cashed-out CD or savings bond you don t immediately need. Here's a rundown of the best rates.

Tap a HELOC

Before you resort to a high-rate loan, consider borrowing against equity in assets you already own: for example, your home. If you re one of the fortunate few whose bank hasn t cut off their home equity line of credit, that can be a viable option as well, says Troy von Haefen, a certified financial planner in Nashville, Tenn. Rates on a $30,000 HELOC are currently 5.81%, according to Bankrate.com. One advantage of borrowing money through a HELOC is that, in many cases, they re tax deductible, says von Haefen.

Just make sure any move won t leave you owing more on your home than it s currently worth, hurting your chances of selling or refinancing.

Dip into your 401(k)

"Make no mistake. Tapping your 401(k) is a loan of last resort," says Sheryl Garrett, founder of the Garrett Planning Network, a nationwide network of fee-only financial planners. "It had better be the most important expense of your life." Essentially, you're making a low-interest loan to yourself and paying it back over a five-year period. Employers make dipping into your account before retirement deceptively easy, with most offering a maximum loan of $50,000 or half your account balance, whichever is less. And all it takes to cut a check is a phone call. (For more on the mechanics of tapping your 401(k), read our guide

Raiding your 401(k) is hazardous to your financial future, even if you're diligent about paying yourself back. A depleted account balance won't compound as quickly as one left intact, robbing you of thousands of dollars over the life of the account. "When you do pay your loan back to your 401(k), you're doing it with after-tax dollars," says Garrett. "It's like a hidden 30% penalty." You'd have to earn at least $13,000 pretax to repay a $10,000 loan. (Before you borrow, make sure the potential costs are worth it with our calculator

Worse, if you leave your job or are fired, the balance of your loan immediately comes due. If you don't pay off the debt, it morphs into an early withdrawal. The balance becomes 100% taxable income, with a 10% penalty.