I have a question that I hope someone can answer. I did not get a teaching job this year and therefore I went on unemployment for the first time ever. I live in TN. I have 14.5 more weeks on my regular benefit plan. The second week in Feb my plan will end. I will have to reapply. When my dad did unemployment three or four years back due to layoffs, he said that he lost around 100 dollars when he had to reapply. I only draw $300 a week and that will go to $275 the fourth week in Dec, due to the stimulus package funding ending. If they take 100 out of 275, I will not be able to make it. My part of the housepayment is 450 a month, not to mention the other bills, gas, food, etc. Does anyone know if they still take out 100 when you reapply now due to the economy? I don't want to contact the state yet, I guess I don't want them to think I'm not willing to work. I am, there's just no jobs that pay enough right now to cover daycare, which is 400 a month, the house, etc. I'm hoping to get hired back in June/July. But I still won't draw a check until Aug. from the school. I'm just major stressing right now. I didn't save as well as I should have, which has now taught me ALOT. How do they expect people to live if they cut that much out a week? We own our home, pay all our bills on time, etc. This just SUCKS! I'm trying to figure out ways to save. I don't get a paper and even if I did, our paper has no coupons in it. I feel lost, stressed, sad, a failure. I have a masters degree and I still can't get a job and I hate depending on my husband, I so hate it. Anyone have any ideas? Thanks for letting me vent!!

I don't think your dollar amount should change.

The payments should be solely based on the wages earned during the period being used to determine your payments. If the wages for the next time frame went down, then the payments should, otherwise, they shouldn't, unless there is a 'extra funding' thing, then who KNOWS when that ends

__________________




Think big! Change the world! One A.R.K at a time.

Could you call or email your unemployment office to ask? When dh was collecting unemployment, they were really hard to get in touch because they were so overloaded, but eventually he did get answers to his questions.

I hope you find something soon.

__________________
We all want progress, but if you're on the wrong road, progress means doing an about-turn and walking back to the right road; in that case, the man who turns back soonest is the most progressive.
C. S. Lewis

Aside from the unemployment question, I find this sentence in your post interesting: "My part of the house payment is 450 a month, not to mention the other bills, gas, food, etc."

You're married. You have children. I'm a little taken aback that you and hubby still split the bills. We all arrange our finances in ways that fit into our lifestyle but since you're married you and hubby are legally intertwined anyway, why continue to have his and hers bills?

That you are not working is a FAMILY issue, not yours alone.

Here are some ideas:

~ Talk to the unemployment office about job search services. I believe there might be subsidized daycare available while you look and go back to work. How old is your child? Head Start might be an option.

~ With your husband, look at your finances. It is possible to re-arrange your family's financial situation so you can stay home? Look at your taxes, especially how much is being withheld from hubby's paycheck. If you're used to getting a large refund, stop it! You need the money now. Keep in mind that this year you'll be able to take the childcare deduction and you'll be saving money next year because you won't be having to pay for childcare.

~ Once you have a handle on your current finances, go to Health & Welfare to see if you qualify for food stamps.

~ Also review your budget for every fixed expense you can cut. We saved over $200 a month by switching our cable-TV plan, cancelling the landline phones and going to only cellphones, reducing the size of our garbage can, and making basic home modifications which reduced our gas & electricity bill. We also dropped an annual insurance bill which we felt we didn't need anymore. Re-align your auto coverage. Shop around for a lower priced policy; change your deductible. Do you really need comprehensive coverage on a ten year old car? Question everything!

~ Sign up at temp agencies. Obviously, you want to make sure you're on the substitute teacher list, too, although I understand that many schools are cutting back on the number of subs they are using (allowing non-credentialled employees to cover the classroom). Sign-up with at least three general temp agencies and call them frequently. And yes, temp agencies are willing to accept people who want to work only part-time. As a matter of fact, their customers love to take part-time temps because it saves them money.

~ It is okay that you don't get the newspaper. Coupons won't help at this point and I've never found a job through the newspaper. But I have found a job through word of mouth! Volunteer. Offer to supervise lunch recess at the local school or take street crossing duty. Get active with your child's PTA. Offer to attend PTA or City Council meetings and write an article for your small hometown newspaper or the school's newsletter. Do whatever you can do to get your face and name out in the community. When a job opens up, you want them to think of you first.

~ While a lot of people look to cut their grocery budget, the truth is, when you become a SAHM (stay-at-home mom), your groceries and some utilities will probably go up. You shouldn't be eating out as much now that you're not working ... right? I try to buy only basic foods - not the pre-packaged, heavily processed stuff - then cook, cook, cook. And be very frugal when it comes to your disposable / non-food items. I have yet to give up on TP, but when money is tight we don't buy paper towels or disposable napkins. I don't buy paper plates, disposable cups or plastic knives/forks/spoons. School lunches are made at home, not $4 Lunchables. (BTW, if your child is school-aged and your family qualifies for food stamps, your child get free school lunch and free breakfast if it is served at their school.)

There are other threads with TONS of ideas that you might interesting. Look for the one about advice for woman who want to become a SAHM.

__________________
"I've been rich and I've been poor but independently wealthy is where it is at."

My blogs:
Oh!: http://oh-cookie.blogspot.com/
The Foundation Club: http://thefoundationclub.blogspot.com/
12 Months to a Homemade Christmas: http://12monthstoahomemadechristmas.blogspot.com/
Experiences, Not Things: http://experiencesnotthings.blogspot.com/

If you'd like to be friends on Facebook, PM me.

Holly-- I live in Florida, so our unemployment benefits may be a little different. That being said, my husband has been on unemployment since Christmas of last year. He had 24wks (I think)of normal state benefits, then once those benefits were all used, the federal unemployment kicked in, which is another 20wks (again, I may be off on the weeks). Here you can do the unemployment online, and therefor there is no delay when the state is done and the federal picks up. My husband has not lost any amount of money. Be warned though, the weekly benefit isn't anywhere near what your "normal" paycheck will be.

Look at whatever state help you can get. I don't know if your husband works, so you need to look at what you will bring for a month to see what you may qualify for help.

Florida is horrible right now with finding a job.

Feel free to email me if you would like to talk.... dawntrayer@yahoo.com

{{{}}}

I am in Florida also. I have been laid off for almost 2 years. I received unemployment for a year and a half. Just keep turning in your weeks, and reapply every time you need to. I have 3 inlaws laid off, and 2 people in my own family. I really know what you are going through. I suffered alot of guilt about my husband paying all the bills, too. But my husband said, without me, he would still have to pay the same bills. Which is true! I have an associate degree in business and a great resume, but still have not gotten hired. I am actually starting to like being at home now, if it wasn't for all the money stress. We pay everything late, but still have our home and food. I wanted to give you some encouragement and let you know you are not alone with what you are going through.