It in the past, many believed you were fortunate if you saw the lay off coming and prepared for it. With the instability of our economy today, we should all be prepared.

Could you survive a lay off if it happened tomorrow?  What steps can you take to improve your life while you job hunt?

DH and I dealt with layoffs yearly the first 8 years of our marriage. He worked for the railroad and the pay was wonderful except for the 2-3 months during the year when the layoffs occurred. I've always worked so we were never "without an income". We also kept our expenses low in anticipation of a layoff, Our financial trouble began when he left the railroad and got a management job with little or no chance for a layoff. We decided it was "safe" to spend and we did. We have finally dug ourselves out from under that and changed our mindset.

The first steps we always took were cutting out cable, discontinued eating out, changed our grocery buying habits etc. We also let our friends know, which served 2 purposes. First they understood when we couldn't go out with them and alot of times changed their plans to just hang out with us and second, they hired DH to do odd jobs for them, including babysitting. Which was really interesting since we didn't have kids at the time. 

Should a layoff happen to one of us today, we have been able to get our bills to the point where we could live on the other's income and we have our emergency fund in place. We also have a safety net, MIL has told DH and his sisters that with the economy the way it is should something happen she is open to giving them their inheritance early. She does stipulate that she would only do it in the event of a job loss. I know we are very fortunate in that regard. 

I could survive if laid off tomorrow. 

Steps to improve life while job hunting:

repair those clothes that have been in the "repair me" basket for too long.  I'll need them for the job hunt

brush up the resume.  In my field, these are long.  I haven't updated in about 5 years (stupid) and it was a 17 page document then.  Probably need to add 3 or 4 pages of stuff

Take a free online course at the library on business accounting or budgeting.  Dealing with budget software is my weak point at work and improving would make me a better job candidate.

Exercise and get out in the sun!  No need to get depressed.

clean out the house since I'd have time on my hands.  Again, keep the blues and boredom away.

Explore alternative careers such as organic farming.  A farm near here will let interns live on their place for free as long as you are willing to work about 15 hours a week.  It's rough (no water, no power, BYOB trailer or tent) but it would save 100% of my rent and utilities.  A gym membership (for showers) would cost 45$/month, or I could pay a friend in town to let me shower and do laundry.  I'd only need to buy food and fuel for a propane stove.

Maggie Trudeau:

I could survive if laid off tomorrow. 

Steps to improve life while job hunting:

repair those clothes that have been in the "repair me" basket for too long.  I'll need them for the job hunt

brush up the resume.  In my field, these are long.  I haven't updated in about 5 years (stupid) and it was a 17 page document then.  Probably need to add 3 or 4 pages of stuff

Take a free online course at the library on business accounting or budgeting.  Dealing with budget software is my weak point at work and improving would make me a better job candidate.

Exercise and get out in the sun!  No need to get depressed.

clean out the house since I'd have time on my hands.  Again, keep the blues and boredom away.

Explore alternative careers such as organic farming.  A farm near here will let interns live on their place for free as long as you are willing to work about 15 hours a week.  It's rough (no water, no power, BYOB trailer or tent) but it would save 100% of my rent and utilities.  A gym membership (for showers) would cost 45$/month, or I could pay a friend in town to let me shower and do laundry.  I'd only need to buy food and fuel for a propane stove.

 

 

Like maggie sad I am prepared for anything but the only thing I need to do is more mending.