Guest post from Angi of SchneiderPeeps
I remember the moment as if were yesterday, although it was 18 years ago. My husband came home early from work and when I asked if he was sick, he said, “No, I’m unemployed.”
We were devastated. We had just moved 8 hours away from our hometown with our one year old for my husband to go to Seminary. We had about $500 to our name and didn’t know anyone in this new city.
I’d love to say this was the first and last time we’ve dealt with unemployment, but it’s wasn’t. The silver lining is that we’ve learned a lot about what it takes to not only survive but thrive during unemployment.
Here are some things you can do to help you make it through unemployment:
1. Stop spending money.
In your spending plan, you need to assume you’re going to be unemployed for years, not weeks. Every single dollar needs to have a predetermined name — and those names need to be mortgage, groceries, gas, etc. NOT soda, dollar store treat, gumball machine, etc.
Drastic times call for drastic measures!
2. Start earning money.
If you get a severance package, that’s great. If not, that’s okay, too.
The first week of unemployment you should spend most of your time polishing up your resume and calling everyone you know in your field and let them know you’re looking for work. If you don’t find a job quickly, go ahead and do some work outside of your field. You never know where that will lead.
3. Stay busy.
Don’t buy into the trap that just because you’re unemployed you don’t have anything to do. If you have plenty of savings or severance package and money isn’t an issue, do some projects around the house or volunteer at a non-profit organization.
If money is an issue, start your own side business. Many businesses can be started for very little upfront money. But just sitting around the house waiting for a phone call will mess with your mind.
4. Keep a positive attitude.
For your spending habits, you need to think that the unemployment will last a long time; but in your attitude you need to believe that it’s going to end any minute. This is a tricky balance. Instead of filling your time with the xBox, fill it with inspiring books such as, Start by Jon Acuff, or 48 Days to the Work You Love by Dan Miller.
5. Protect your children.
If you have children, it’s really important to help them feel secure. I don’t mean you should lie to them… but they don’t need to carry the weight of your burden.
They need to know that your budget is going to be different and that you can’t get or do everything you used to. But don’t say things like, “If worse comes to worst, we can move in with Grandpa.”
That’s not comforting. Save that information for if it actually gets to that point.
Finally, know that unemployment is just a season and like all seasons it will eventually end. Make the most of the time and resources you’ve been given.
Angi Schneider is a minister’s wife and homeschooling Mom to 6 children. She’s also the owner of the blog, SchneiderPeeps, where she journals their homesteading and homeschooling adventures. Her new series is about the lessons from their four year unemployment/underployment season.
Just a thought…monthly internet service is cheaper than (2019) gas to and from grocery, library, etc. I buy many needed items cheaper online with free shipping than local and able to sell on eBay and look for work! For those who can blog, crafts, etc., that’s even better!😉
Great post! I’ve found that in my home, it is important to eliminate or at least minimize “extras” that would increase the utility bills. Internet and cable at home are non-essentials. Most folks are able to visit the library, book store, or local community centers for access to free WiFi. If you own a dvd player, most libraries have lots of movies and series to replace whatever you watched on tv.
Just a thought…monthly internet service is cheaper than (2019) gas to and from grocery, library, etc. I buy many needed items cheaper online with free shipping than local and able to sell on eBay and look for work! For those who can blog, crafts, etc., that’s even better!😉
Actually, my kids found it very comforting that we could move in with Grandma, or their aunt, or a host of other loving family members. It’s just how you phrase it. “We will always have a place to stay because so many people love us.”
Thanks for sharing that perspective, Karen. Phrasing it that way, sounds so much better than how I’ve actually heard people say it.
I was laid off about a year ago. Although I received unemployment benefits and worked as a waitress part-time, I really wanted to use the college degree I worked so hard to earn. And…I needed to earn enough to pay back my student loans taken out for that hard-earned degree.
Hundreds of resumes sent, dozens of interviews later, still nothing. Back to the drawing board. It was the hardest waiting I have ever done. My 2 pregnancies were easier, because I knew I had a beautiful life waiting on the other side. The uncertainty of this waiting is horrendous.
My brain told me God had turned a deaf ear, but my heart told me to keep the faith: … being sure of what you hope for and certain of what you do not see.
Today, I can proudly say that I am consistently working for 2 companies on a freelance basis in addition to building my blog. Although I am not financially where I want to be, I am super happy with my work, the opportunities that have been steadily coming my way, and the future I am looking forward to.
Stick in there. It will get better. Do what what YOU can do. GOD will do the rest.
Best wishes to all,
Raki
One important idea is to preplan as best as possible what you will do if you become unemployed rather than waiting until you lose your job.
1. Plan in advance what short-term income your family can make if your job goes away – can you make some money off your hobby or can your spouse work part-time in a shopping center up the street, for example.
2. Keep up with contacts in your field. Don’t wait for a job loss to call people out of the blue.
3. Have an emergency fund in place or start one, so when you lose your job, you are not in dire straits.
4. Keep current on your job skills or learn some new ones if you’re in a dying field.
5. Plan in advance what expenses you will be able to cut out or cut back on easily, such as cable and eating out.
6. Keep your resume current. Keeping your resume up-to-date will cut out some slack time between losing your job and looking for a new one.
If you have a plan in advance of losing your job, you will likely weather the job loss better.
Absolutely! Everyone needs to think that they will be unemployed at some time in their life and be planning for it. Thanks for sharing such great tips.
Thanks for the post! We are experience this now and love the hopeful reminders that our situation is not permanent.
You’re welcome, Jenny. I know it’s hard, but it’s never permanent.
My husband was unemployed for several months in 2007-2008 when our daughter was a baby. I was working full time back then, but we still took action to preserve our finances.
1. The unemployed person needs a schedule. Surfing the internet for 10 hours a day should not be in the plan.
2. The unemployed person should still get up, get dressed as if he or she were going to work. He or she should still shower, shave, put on makeup and do their hair.
3. Don’t burn bridges no matter what the situation. That old coworker could be your new boss at the next job. Or they could know somebody who knows somebody who is hiring. You need all the connections you can get.
4. Don’t be afraid of temp agencies. My husband got work at a temp agency for 4 months until he was hired into a full-time position elsewhere. He had flexibility to go on interviews.
5. Don’t be afraid to ask for help. You might be used to being the one who gave help to others in the past. If you need to visit a food pantry or clothing closet or obtain WIC, SNAP, or SCHIP for your family, know that you have paid taxes toward those benefits in the past and they are there for you if you need them. We didn’t need them during our unemployment, but it was heartening to know they existed.
Great reminders! Thanks for sharing!
This is a great post that is so relevant. I know I had a few times in the past few years of unemployment never by choice. It is devastating, but it is important to realize that you will come out of the tunnel and be stronger for going through it. You have to remember to lean on God during these times of being tested too.
So very true
#6: PRAY PRAY PRAY!!!
absolutely!!!
When I speak with people, #1 is the hardest one for people to understand.
We went without buying food for over a year.
These same rules apply to underemployment as well. We’ve been there after 8 months of no income, and drastic cuts (a 75% loss in income) has meant drastic measures. It’s difficult to talk with other people because most people cannot relate, especially to long-term underemployment.
However, the cuts that we have made have been essential. They’ve kept a roof over our heads and made it so that we had food and clothing. The food and clothing are not always what we would like, but they are sufficient.
The cuts are worth it.
Don’t forget to count the cost of gas! A “free” outing that costs $8 in gas to get there and back will take a toll when you have to cut everything. Find ways to cut your gas expenses and stay home more.
Great reminder on the gas. Every budget category has to be scrutinized. I referenced your 40 cents a day meal planning in my post on creating a spending plan. Thanks for being willing to share your journey even when its very different than most peoples.
I agree with EVERY single tip!! I wrote a very similar article last November- http://stephanieb27.hubpages.com/hub/Being-Unemployed-Making-the-Best-of-Unemployment. Unfortunately, I think many of us have dealt with unemployment the past few years or are dealing with it now. Great suggestions, thanks for sharing! Off to check out your blog! 🙂
That’s a great post, Emily. I’m glad your husband was able to find work so quickly.