Most people I’ve known in the tech field who’ve been unemployed looking for work IS their full-time job. They spend their days (and sometimes nights) on the telephone or meeting people in whatever venue they can find.
In my neck of the woods, all the McDonalds and retail jobs have already dried up. Waitresses are being laid off because restaurants are feeling the pinch. There are no more kids at the counters selling burgers; they’re all 40+ years old. Even the people stocking shelves at Wal*Mart are obviously very capable people rather than the tattooed and pierced eyesores that had the jobs a year ago. In the next 6 months there will be 600+ fewer jobs in the area as a major employer finally closes and takes at least one supplier with it.
IF that’s really the case then you need to move ....even if just yourself...locate family or friends in areas that have work and stay with them while you look, with the idea once you’ve secured it you’ll work and set money aside to do just that.
I know of a gal who needed to move...sold everything but what she could fit in her car to make that move. You gotta do what ya gotta do.