RENTON, Wash. -- If the pinch at the pump and the gouge for groceries wasn't enough, there is even more evidence that the economy is slowing down: More and more people are taking matters into their own hands.

Deborah Starnes is in a race to keep her beautiful Renton home from foreclosure.

"Going from having everything, being on top of the world, two cars, house, nice yard, and then you don't have the money to pay for it all," said Starnes.

The real estate market has tanked and so has this realtor's chance to make ends meet. A recent medical condition means she can't work, and that's set her back even more.

"We have disconnect notices on everything," admitted Starnes.

Desperate for cash - she sold her gold jewelry. That bought her two weeks salary.

"I need the money more," she said.

Meanwhile, business is brisk at the Yuppie Pawn shop in Redmond.

"You need to pay for the $4 a gallon gas," said Brian Lurie, president of the Yuppie Pawn Shop (www.yuppiepawn.com). "You need to pay for the bread and groceries and everything that is going up."

Lurie says this is the busiest his Redmond shop has been in 16 years.

"The economy is in the toilet and people are really hurting and that's why they're here," said Lurie.

His clients include the wealthy too. "That bike is worth $10,000, that Harley over there, that's $30,000, and this gun collection, those guns are so rare, I've never even seen them before," he says of his inventory. The list goes on.

Business is so good, Lurie can be selective, taking mostly high ticket items.

"This guy here (pointing to a souped-up motorcycle with leather tassels on the handles and chrome everywhere) needed it for rent, needed it for truck payments," said Lurie.

From a rare gun collection and high end bicycles to $15,000 watches and one woman's pride and joy -- her Cherry Red Mustang. They're all being held with interest. If the owners don't pay up in 90 days, their items are officially for sale.

It's true when the economy is bad - more people sell stuff to pawn shops. But right now those shops are not having much luck bringing in buyers.

In addition to pawn shops, we noticed an up-tick in garage sales in the classifieds, and found hundreds and hundreds of local people selling items online. Most of the online ads mention the owner hates to part with their item, but 'needs the money'.

Some looking for fast cash are hiring companies to help them sell their items online.

"We're professional merchandisers," says Kenny Byrne, President and CEO of 'I Sold It, Washington'. (www.i-soldit.com) "Business has been very good, we're very busy. Absolutely without question."

Kenny helps sellers decide if their stuff will sell and how to market it online. He sold a baseball card collection for a customer out of work; it fetched $15,000.

"It's wonderful, really wonderful," said Byrne. "It's great to find a home for these items and to help people who need it."

Creative thinking born out of desperation that makes survival possible. Something Deborah Starnes knows all too well.

"Whatever I can liquidate to make the next bill."