Fifty-year-old David Vic used to run his own printing business, but when the economy went sour, he shut it down. Now he's one of about 2 million Americans who will soon lose extended unemployment benefits, he said. "When you get to the end of unemployment, you do become more desperate," said Vic, who said he's been looking for a job for about two years. "You aren't just looking for management positions at that point; you are looking for something so you can keep your house and make your payments."

Vic was among an estimated 250 who turned out for a job fair at the Doubletree Hotel hosted by Expedia. The company is looking to fill about 200 inbound sales positions over the next several months. Unemployment benefits in Missouri typically last 26 weeks, offering an average of $250 per week (and no more than $320). Several tiers of federal extensions authorized by the U.S. Congress have allowed some to qualify for benefits up to 99 weeks.

For Vic, the payments have helped him make ends meet as he goes back to school to study nursing. "I know the medical field -- they say -- is going to be a good place," he said. "But I've got to do something else while I go to school."

Amy Susan, the director of communications for the Missouri Department of Labor, said there are just under 130,000 Missourians receiving unemployment benefits currently. About 43,000 will exhaust benefits before the end of 2010.

That means the newly unemployed will still be able to receive the 26 weeks of benefits, but they will no longer be able to receive any of the additional weeks allowed by the federal extensions. Those already receiving benefits beyond their initial 26 weeks will stop getting benefits when they reach the end of their tier, she said. The Department of Labor website indicates that the last day to receive any extended benefits is April 30.

Aurora resident Alex French, 27, another job seeker at the Expedia fair, said he lost a job to downsizing. When his state unemployment benefits ran out, he did apply for the federal extended benefits, but wasn't approved. "Luckily for me, I have some money in savings," said French. "It is just about living very frugally, I guess. Paying rent when you need to and just buying the essential groceries -- but not really spending anything you can afford."