Certifications: Reasons, basics, purpose, does it pay off?

My first full week of joblessness.  Well, jobless from my primary source of income.  $2900/month income down the tube.  As many would be in a panic state and being unemployed due to "cut backs" before, it seems all "same ole, same ole" again.  Very familiar but not as intense emotions of "AUGH! How am I to make it?!".  Luckily I do have a few low pay income coming in.  Still, since most of my side gig is contract and sporadic, who knows if I can make that next credit card bill and still try and stay afloat on the bigger payments (i.e. mortgage, car, etc.). 

I'm starting my Friday looking into community college and certifications in more of the popular software programs.  First comes to mind Adobe (I use photo shop a lot :) ).  Adobe Certification Review.  I'm growing the giggly feeling of something good has got to come out of this.  I'm looking through the ACE (Adobe Certified Expert) and ACA (Adobe Certified Associate) certification reviews.  Okay, I think I can manage some reading and exams.  As I'm multitasking, reading and gmail chatting with a friend, she mentions "how often have you used Adobe at your company?" I'm thinking well, I know there's a periodic update for some odd reason...though, I don't remember ever using it in my corporate employed life.  Okay, got me.  Microsoft it is!  

Microsoft, household name.  If you don't know Microsoft then you probably don't know what a computer is.  Microsoft Certification is arguable the most prestigious certification there is.  Again, who doesn't know Microsoft?!  Corporate world lives and breaths it!

So, here starts another journey of 2011.  Educating and investigating the purpose and pay out of getting certified into the market of Microsoft programs. Microsoft Overview of Ceritifcation