for a second. You are suddenly jobless, you have a savings, but not enough to keep you a float and it's going fast. You are finding it difficult to find a job in your field. At what point do you look for ANY job or go to an agency for help(food stamps, cash assistance, etc)? Do you start selling off a few of your valuables, maybe sell you new car and start driving something older or cheaper, or put your home up for sale?
I always wonder what others would do. I'm hearing so many stories now on people who can't make it or have lost their jobs. But one particular couple stood out because they were getting help from food pantries and other resources, but refuse to let go of their luxury lifestyle. The gentleman also refused to search for a job outside of his field of work. How long would you let it go before you took any job and sold everything?

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~Missy~

You don't get to choose how you're going to die, or when. You can only decide how you're going to live !!!

I honestly think the tolerance level will be different for everyone and every family. I always felt I'd work at McDonalds if I had to, if stuck in that situation. But there are some things that would prevent me from doing so, such as health issues. I also know I'd have a hard time selling things - not emotionally so, but in finding the buyers!! I have a house full of things I need to get rid of just because...well, I don't need them and it's clutter.

I was the one who held onto our more expensive vehicles after we had kids. Now, I could care less about my vehicles, as long as they are decent, aren't shameful and work. However, whereas dh was quick to want to get rid of the luxury ones we had, he is the one now ready to upgrade back into something more luxurious than what we downgraded to.

I think the biggest thing is not to stick our heads into the sand and find creative ways to get ourselves out of a mess. I, too, have heard so many sob stories of people not able to find work just because they are stubborn, it's where their training/schooling is, or they are waiting for the factory to call them back. What? You have to feed the kids, man! You want to at least be able to ask your kids if THEY want the fries to go w/that burger, ya know?

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Make someone's heart smile today.

The Really Needy, Special, Networking and Talking Mod

I've heard of people doing this too. It always seems so crazy for me. I think if it happened to us (knock on wood) we'd probably spend up to a month looking HARD for a new job. After a month (at most) we'd probably cancel all the non-necessities - cable, cell phones, etc. We'd be eating out of the pantry and driving no where. After cutting expenses we'd start looking for temporary jobs to do on the side while searching for a full time job. Of course this is if we have enough savings to get us through a few months without going into debt. It's hard to say for sure - I might cancel cable after a week.

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Stay at home mom to my 3 boys... ages 5, 3 & 1!

I can do all things through CHRIST who strengthens me. Philippians 4:13

In case of hard times my husband and I are aware that the both of us, working full time, at WalMart will pay our bills! And I really hope that I don't ever have find that out!

But it is good to keep options available.

We actually found ourselves in this predictiment a little over two years ago. Just out of the blue dh got laid off. We went through what little savings we had fairly quickly. The whole time he was on unemployment he did odd jobs to make up the difference in his wages and what unemployment made. He worked parttime at the local Sears store (you can make so much before they deduct anything) and then he did odd jobs like raking leaves and such for cash. Once he had about a month left on his unemployment, we had to take drastic measures and he started applying for anything.... He wasn't having any luck in his profession.
But things turned out okay, he actually ended up finding something in his profession, but we were extremly worried.

In the past, years and years ago, we had to use some of the available resources but we used them like they are meant to be used. They helped us get on our feet and we never abused it like lots and lots and lots of people do. I don't even need to go there, it just makes me angry.

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My gourds made the front page of the paper!!

If I truly needed aid I would get it for the sake of my children. I would suck up my pride and do what I would have to do for them. I am really lucky that my husband has a degree in a great field...worse case he could find a job within a month working for another company or even in another state. If anything thing ever happened to his job I could substitute teach for awhile.

I knew a couple like this. Lived in an expensive house, kids went to private school and the man refused to look for anything outside his field. He finally found something 6 months later!
My dh would work two jobs if needed and he'd flip hamburgers if he had to. It wouldn't pay for me to work because of the childcare expense but I would def. tighten our purse strings and make every dime count.

Fortunately, my husband is a part owner of his company, with his brother and cousin, and My brother owns a company as well. Without too much trouble, we could both be employed in a few days. Our biggest problem would be figuring out what to do with the kids! I couldn't make enough money to pay for daycare for the babies. So I guess my job would be to cut our daily budget to almost nothing. Eating lots of pantry meals, and entertaining ourselves here at home.

I think that we should all try to live as though the worst has happened for a period of time and then see how much you want to add back knowing that $ saved is future security.

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Dottie

Mom to Michael 6, Matthew 4, Katherine 2, Ellen 1, and new baby EDD 10/29/08

I believe I'd grab a part-time retail job or something just to keep some money coming in while I was on unemployment, while continuing to look for a job. As far as a job "in the field" - it really depends on what you do. I know a guy who was let go here last July. Masters Degree/Engineer/Project Manager. He didn't find a job in his field until February. But - he literally worked FULL TIME to find one. He was on the phone - 30 calls a day, with headhunters and folks in the field. He averaged 2-3 interviews EVERY WEEK until he found a job. So, sometimes it is a full-time job to FIND a job. And, if you go take just any old thing, you will NOT find that higher-paying job in your field because you are not spending the time it takes to make it happen. Of course, this depends on your field. Here in Detroit, jobs are scarce and layoffs are going on constantly, so there is high competition for the few jobs. Which means you have to keep following up on every lead to get noticed.

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Dh was out of work last year for a month or so due to a back injury. The workers comp check didn't come to almost when he went back to work. We did go to the food pantry at the end. We shopped only at Alidi's (I don't think that's the right spelling), dollar store, and Walmart. The landlord let us slid on the rent since he knows we are honest and will pay him back. We just got caught up on the a couple of months ago. Our truck payment was taken care of since he had some disability plan on the truck. It was not a fun road to go down. That's why I have tucked as much money as I can away for those rainy days. When it rains it pours sometimes.

In the case his injury kept him out of work for a longer time then I would go get a job where ever I had to. Pride doesn't pay the bills.