This time it's for real

[blas]

Not again...

Just when I worried myself into a tizzy and nearly gave myself an ulcer over worrying about getting laid off after all the temps were fired........it's happening now. A temporary lay off. 500 employees must be laid off for a month. Supposedly only 30 days, to let our customers catch back up. That's right, our stupid customers ordered SO much product this last summer and fall (when we were so busy and so behind we barely ever made weekly or quarterly goal)......and now they are so backed up and their inventory so clogged that they don't want anything as of right now. No work. Too much manpower. Big problem.


That's right....I will be laid off as of this Sunday night, unless by some miracle someone else at work has mercy on me and volunteers to take the temporary layoff for me. This is going strictly by seniority, so you know I'm one of the first ones out the door.

Just when my financial situation could NOT get any worse.

They might as well have just given me a cardboard box to live in for the next month..........I cannot survive without my paychecks. Fortunately I will still have insurance......but all of my emergency funds were for when my roomate actually DOES take the plunge and move out, to help me support myself, because my monthly expenses are more than one paycheck.....and then some. My tax returns are for to pay the rest of my car off OR my laptop, whichever is more expensive (I need to go get a receipt for my remaining balance on my car).

My emergency funds are also for things insurance doesn't cover.......NOT groceries, NOT rent, NOT utilities......

I really hate my life right now. 30 days isn't the end of the world, but when you're already up financial shit creek, it sure feels that way.

[Arachne]

Ack! That's terrible!

(I definitely recommend canceling the cable, now. )

Would it be possible for you to take some kind of temporary crap job while you're laid off, to cover the worst of the expenses?

[blas]

I'm going to have to dig into my emergency funds for all of that. I don't want to shut the cable off for a month and then have it reconnected (the fee for that is just dumb).....definetly too proud of myself to find some job for 30 days just to quit it and then go back.

Things will get better, this is just temporary........and they did promise if after 30 days they need to have another layoff, the people who weren't laid off last time will be for 30 more days, and then we'll see what happens. The big wigs were pretty confident that 30 days is sufficient, but we all know better than to trust those jerks, don't we?

I'm not going to be homeless or cold or hungry......but still pretty miserable. I'll make it by, but it's going to take a lot of saving up once I get back to bring my bank account back up.....but I'll survive.

I have a little over $1,000 in my account, because I never let it go below that. That usually doesn't leave a lot of wiggle room for extravagant spending, but I guess I will have to let it drop and just pay for what I need. At least I was smart enough to have some money to keep me going.

[TNT]

I have a little over $1,000 in my account, because I never let it go below that. That usually doesn't leave a lot of wiggle room for extravagant spending, but I guess I will have to let it drop and just pay for what I need. At least I was smart enough to have some money to keep me going.

It sucks to get laid off. You should be able to get unemployment, which will cover part of the loss.

And yes, it was smart to save some money... I'll bet quite a few of the other 499 laid off people have exactly $0 in the bank. Witness the number of payday loan places springing up everywhere.

It's bad... but it could be a lot worse.

[blas]

I'm not even counting on unemployment. The unemployment office decides who even qualifies, and I haven't been at the factory long enough to have them rely on my wages there. They will have to dig back to the gas station job, where I made laughable wages just over minimum wage............like $100 a week is going to help. Yes, better than $0 a week, but it might as well just be as big of a slap in the face as that worthless gas station job was.

[BookstoreEscapee]

They always say (whoever "they" is) that you should have 6 months worth of living expenses saved up in an accessible account (ie not tied up in investments - like I make enough to have investments!) in case you find yourself laid off or out of work for whatever reason. Something to aim for once you get back to a regular paycheck...or at least a few months worth. I hope it's only a month and you get back to normal quick!

[powerboy]

I'm not even counting on unemployment. The unemployment office decides who even qualifies,

That is how it is here also. It sucks, because for the year, that I was off, and could not land a job, I needed it the most. But NOOO Unemployment Office just does not give 2 shits about anybody, around here anyway

[Kiwi]

Food banks have food parcels, the first ones are usually no questions asked.

Call your creditors and say you need an extension on your payments (when I found out our phone bill was close to $400 I called and pleaded my case and they worked out a payment schedule with us)

If they know about it, they might be able to extend the payment due date and your credit score wont get dinged!

[Seshat]

Call your creditors and say you need an extension on your payments!

Agreed.

Call all your creditors - even the ones you think you can pay - and inform them of the situation. Ask what help or extensions they're able to give, and be the nicest customer they have that day.

[ThePhoneGoddess]

Are there any temp agencies in your area?

Go to them and see if they can get you temp work. When I've ended up in similar situations temp agencies have saved my butt. Most of them have simple temp jobs for a day or two, or maybe a week at a time, doing all sorts of stuff. Temp agencies can get you assignments for office work, construction, call centers, all sorts of stuff. It may not pay great, but it will help keep you afloat.