Laid off--Support thread

[Bev J]

My DH and I got the shock of our lives on Valentines Day when he was laid off after 35 years with the same company- his job was eliminated and of course he was getting the most vacation, higher pay. He did get a severance package and we had insurance for a couple of months. We now have been paying over $1000 a month for cobra insurance. We had to take a bite into our 401K in order to pay insurance and try to replace abit of his lost income. He is 55 and we never thought he would be starting over and we feel his age has hurt his job prospects..;.
I have a home daycare so no insurance to fall back on there..
Thankfully I was able to fill all my spots and stay that way. The kids have enjoyed having 'Granpa' around to play with and he is great with the kids.

Today he found out he got a job, although at 1/3 less than what he was making before- but it is a job and a paycheck and Insurance. He will keep looking for something that pays better but for now were happy!

Hope you all find new positions soon. We sure learned the hard way to plan ahead and not get so comfortable, everything can change on a dime....

GOOD LUCK to ALL!

Bev

 

[HenDuck]

I just wanted to offer and support to everyone on this thread, and everyone else who is struggling right now.

While we're not dealing with a layoff per se, the end of the year is always really, really bad for my DH's business. Clients just don't pay during the holidays. So for us, we always feel like DH is laid off for a couple of months every year.

It sucks just the same.

I hope everyone has a more prosperous 2009 (but if some good luck came a little early, we wouldn't complain! )

Take everyone!

HenDuck

 

[cndij]

I'm in the club. I was let go in March after almost 28 years with the same company. We had been acquired before so the last acquisition didn't scare me (though I guess it should have), then unfortunately they shut the whole company down a couple of weeks ago (about 6 months after I left), I have been taking classes paid for by unemployment and networking like crazy, but no offers yet. I get a fair amount of "over-qualified" feedback. I just need a job, as my unemployment extension will run out the end of the year.

Thankfully we did have a buffer/savings in place, but even being frugal we have eaten through about half of it. Like others, we immediately put the brakes on spending, cut out eating out, cut back cable, just buying necessities. I have learned a ton here and on Hot Coupon World, and fortunately am now spending about 1/2 on groceries what I was before and that was when we are eating all the time. I am learning how to "re-fashion" clothes (new term for recycle into something new) and cook in bulk and freeze meals ahead. I am getting ready to start clearing out our garage and listing stuff on Ebay and Craigs list. I have some friends trying to talk me into starting a cooking service, to prepare home cooked meals for them. I'm not sure where to start with knowing how to charge for something like that. Is anyone else here doing anything like that?

 

[EvanMaddieMouse]

We went from DH working full time, and me working one day a week, to DH first being on strike for the first several months of this year, and then taking a buyout 4 weeks after they went back. The buyout money helped us pay off some bills, get DH a new car which he desperately needed (repairs would have been twice the KBB value!) and got us out to Seattle/Vancouver to visit his grandparents (for what is probably the last time ), and pay for tuition for DH to go back to school.

I am now sole support of the family while he is in school, and we're not sure if he'll even find work right away or not. Our saving grace is that I went to nursing school when EvanMouse was just a tiny little thing, and it was such a struggle with time and tears, but now, I am so, so glad I went. I don't know what we'd be doing if I hadn't.

I have been able to pick up as many shifts as I want, and I get called continually as well.

I also recently discovered ValueWorld for EvanMouse---he's growing like a weed, has grown 3 inches since the start of school and was asking about going to the mall for new jeans. We went to ValueWorld instead of the mall, and for thirty dollars I got him 10--TEN!---pairs of jeans, 3 hoodies, and a winter coat! He is also learning a lesson in saving/recycling/reusing. In fact, I found him replacing the trucks from one skateboard to another so he wouldn't have to ask me to buy him a new board---he used an older one he wasn't crazy about. But he understands now, we are going to reuse, recycle, save. Even when the economy starts to upswing, we're going to continue on as we are now---recycling, saving, resaling.

 

[got2travel]

After 12 year with the company I got my notice in April, was off payroll in June. So far I have only gotten called for 1 interview but did not get offered the job. My severance plus unemployment will carry me through the end of the year but not much longer after that. My company provided 6 months of health benefits, but starting in January I have to start paying $600 per month for COBRA.

I do test tomorrow (Sat) with one of our public transportation agencies, so hopefully something will come through. If not, I'll be registering with temp agencies next month. I do have retail experience, but I need a M-F 8-5 job. I'm a single mom so I need to be home at night.

 

[kathianne]

Well, looks like we have ourselves a club!

My dh has some job potentials already, but we know how that goes---they call, want a resume, then another resume, then a phone interview, then another interview, then an inhouse, then..........you hear nothing. Not even a flush letter.

We've wanted to move away from here for various reasons for the last year but it just never works out. We are carrying Cobra from my last job, its about to run out. I've found a way to save money---leave the kids at home while shopping! I don't give in to their every whine, believe me, but you always end up buying something, if just a snack, water, etc. I try to remember to take snacks with me but can't always, so now my rule is--eat and drink up before you go, then, if its less than 2 hours you'll live, they don't need to be fed every 90 min like an infant.

Also I toss/hide that Toys R Us catalog. Every year it becomes their wish book, and I do use it as a guide to what they would like but it gets out of hand and raises their expectations. Even during good years, when they'd get practically the whole toy store in the living room on Christmas morning, seems they were always looking for something they didn't get. This year I will give them each $10 and take them to a thrift store so they can buy family gifts. They can get a lot of nice things for a few dollars. Each kid will get three gifts on Christmas morning, like the three wise men's gifts. I'm already wondering how to do Thanksgiving dinner, that's always a blow out at our house, I will start making a list now and buy non-perhshable items on sale with coupons, look for a free turkey deal, etc.

Perhaps its best we learn how to scal back, economy or not. Every Christmas I always spend a fortune on stuff that's broken plastic all over the floor in a day or so at the most.They don't need all that crap!

 

[kathianne]

I do have a silly little work-at-home job that I'm doing more of. Its money, something's better than nothing, I'm hoping to make $800 this pay period, also, for the rest of my "club" if you would like something at home, check out this website

www.wahm.com

its a discussion board about wah jobs, and I don't get anything out of passing it along just FYI, every little bit helps.

I had an invite to Cha Cha, but when I try to click on it it say no longer valid. Does anyone know if I should re-apply or use a different email? Thanks

 

[kathianne]

We went from DH working full time, and me working one day a week, to DH first being on strike for the first several months of this year, and then taking a buyout 4 weeks after they went back. The buyout money helped us pay off some bills, get DH a new car which he desperately needed (repairs would have been twice the KBB value!) and got us out to Seattle/Vancouver to visit his grandparents (for what is probably the last time ), and pay for tuition for DH to go back to school.

I am now sole support of the family while he is in school, and we're not sure if he'll even find work right away or not. Our saving grace is that I went to nursing school when EvanMouse was just a tiny little thing, and it was such a struggle with time and tears, but now, I am so, so glad I went. I don't know what we'd be doing if I hadn't.

I have been able to pick up as many shifts as I want, and I get called continually as well.

I also recently discovered ValueWorld for EvanMouse---he's growing like a weed, has grown 3 inches since the start of school and was asking about going to the mall for new jeans. We went to ValueWorld instead of the mall, and for thirty dollars I got him 10--TEN!---pairs of jeans, 3 hoodies, and a winter coat! He is also learning a lesson in saving/recycling/reusing. In fact, I found him replacing the trucks from one skateboard to another so he wouldn't have to ask me to buy him a new board---he used an older one he wasn't crazy about. But he understands now, we are going to reuse, recycle, save. Even when the economy starts to upswing, we're going to continue on as we are now---recycling, saving, resaling.

Sounds like you will do ok, I used to live in Michigan, I notice you're from Grosse Pointe, everyone thinks you're rich if you live in Grosse Pointe, all that means is that your property taxes are sky high!

Good Luck to you and BTW, what is ValueWorld? That sound like the place for me!

 

[EvanMaddieMouse]

Sounds like you will do ok, I used to live in Michigan, I notice you're from Grosse Pointe, everyone thinks you're rich if you live in Grosse Pointe, all that means is that your property taxes are sky high!

Good Luck to you and BTW, what is ValueWorld? That sound like the place for me!

Grosse Pointe is not what it used to be. Not even close to the GP I lived in while growing up. But the schools are still excellent, and the parks, well, you can't beat the parks & pools!

ValueWorld used to be called Value Village. Then they got big and became the World, lol. Just a great big resale shop. The only drawback is there is no dressing room so you take your chances. But for eighty cents for a pair of Guess jeans for my little guy, I figured we'd risk it. (And he loves them, btw!)

I told him he's only getting resale shop jeans until he's totally, fully grown. And he was okay with that!

 

[kathianne]

Grosse Pointe is not what it used to be. Not even close to the GP I lived in while growing up. But the schools are still excellent, and the parks, well, you can't beat the parks & pools!

ValueWorld used to be called Value Village. Then they got big and became the World, lol. Just a great big resale shop. The only drawback is there is no dressing room so you take your chances. But for eighty cents for a pair of Guess jeans for my little guy, I figured we'd risk it. (And he loves them, btw!)

I told him he's only getting resale shop jeans until he's totally, fully grown. And he was okay with that!

Is it on the area they called The Hill? Just curious

 

[thelittlemermaid]

My dh might be in this situation shortly. He works for Cooper Tire and this month because of Hurrican Ike the hours were cut drastically. And it was on the news the other night that they will close one Cooper Tire plant after a 90 day study. I feel like it will be our plant and that will be a loss of 1,300 jobs. Dh has been there for over 15 years and that would be a major blow to our income. This month has been very very tough but if the plant is closed I don't know what we will do.

Same situation here. My DH also works for Cooper tire here in Ohio.

Edited to add: Since this has come up, now I sit and wait to see what Cooper is going to do, so I know what to do about our WDW trip that has been cancelled twice already in the past. Oh well! What can you do? =(

 

[fairykin]

Prayers left for Your families...and sending positive thoughts that jobs will be found soon.

 

[mtomlin66]

My DH has been out of work since May 2007. He was downsized after 21 years with the same company. Of course there are few positions out there for computer operators, especially those who worked within the mortgage industry As many others have shared, he sends resumes and applies for anything that he can find. The few that even call for interviews tell him he's overqualified for what they want or he nevers hears back from them at all. While he keeps looking, DH has been working part time on third shift stocking at a grocery store. At least the kids are happy - no before or after school care, so more at home play time for them!

Luckily we've always lived well within our means, didn't carry any cc debt and I have always carried our health insurance. But, I never expected it to take this long to find another position. I'm certainly not saying that this has been easy, but I know how fortunate we are that we can still pay our bills. We've cut back everywhere we can and only purchase the bare necessities. I just keep praying that things start to get better soon!

 

[patita71]

Joining in... 10/31 will be my last day, they let go several of us and rumors are more will be told next week. The kicker was ordering lunch for my boss and some of the employees two days in a row... ok so I'm told on Tues morning due to budget and economic reasons I am being let go, at 11am I'm ordering lunch for the team (it's not their fault/decision that I was let go but it's just that ordering lunches on company money is ok) and then again on Wed!! I also got an invite for a 'farewell' luncheon on Monday, in a way I dont want to go, I know I'll end up crying and on the other hand there are some really special people I had the pleasure of meeting and I know that they want to cheer me up with the luncheon.
I've been with the company for 4 1/2 years, no package/severance because I am a temp... the joke was I was the permanent temp. I kept the job because of the flexible hours and I was allowed to telecommute 3 times a week, this was wonderful because my kids were 4 and 2 when I started (in early 2004) and now they are 9 and 7 plus my little 2yr old, so I was able to volunteer at school and watch them grow. I am hoping I'm blessed with another job where I can work virtually.
I have been cutting back this year and learn lots of great tips here on the budget board, I even have a binder for my coupons!
Good luck to everyone!

 

[kathianne]

Seems many people here are getting the axe on Halloween, a guess a real horror story for us!

We had some doubts about his job and thought it would only last until the end of this year and I was thinking we'd be using our last paycheck for christmas gifts, now looks like we wont' even have that!

At least my kids understand there's no Santa, so they don't expect the moon & stars, but we have to do something, its a family holiday, we went through a lot of hard times when I was a child and always had Christmas.

We paid off all our cc, but kept them open, much as I hate to do so, I might put Christmas stuff on a cc, just pay it off ASAP! Looks like we're right back to where we started from!

 

[haveitall]

We were on vacation at Disneyworld when DH got the call that his job was being outsourced. He got the call on a Tuesday, we returned home on Thursday and he was out of a job on Friday. That was Sept. 12. He did get an offer and is taking the job but with a cut of $1,000. a month. We had just returned form 15 days at Disney and upgraded to Annual Passes when we got the word.

He has to have surgery on Nov. 17 and will be out of work for about 8 weeks. Don't know if his work will hold his job for him. We hope so. He doesn't get unemployment until his severence runs out. I think that will be around Nov. 15. Unemployement will be only about $100.00 less that what the job would pay. I think he should wait on the job until after surgery. so much to deside on.

Good Luck to everyone,

Sylvia in MN

 

[MoniqueU]

My DH might as well be laid off. He is upper management but commission only in the car business. It is uglier then it has ever been in 20 plus years in the business. I won't get into all the details but to say things are tough at home right now is an understatement. Most of it is my fault, not his but that still doesn't solve the problems. I am hoping with the new election even though I don't like the leader at all that consumer sentiment changes.

I will keep all of you in my thoughts, it is real tough out there right now for more then just us thats for sure.

 

[alliedogsmom]

Add my name to this list...DH got laid off this past week after 12 years. We will be ok, he did get a nice severance package, but we had already taken a big hit since I had to stop working due to permanent disability. I am very glad that we had started cutting back long ago, got rid of all cc debt, and only have mortgage and utilities to deal with. I did most of our Christmas shopping early. DD is grown, married and on her own. But we live in northern NJ, one of the most expensive places in the country. I coupon like mad, we cut down to one car, and I had started long ago by stockpiling food basics. But it is such a blow to their ego after having given so much of their time and loyalty to a company to be unceremoniously just let go. The worst of it is for us is that my DH is currently out on disability because he had to have a total knee replacement 5 weeks ago and was expecting to go back to work this Monday....well, he is, but only to clean out his office....

It is really scary what is happening all over, not just in the US. But I am trying to look at this with a somewhat positive attitude that maybe now that we as a whole are learning to cut back and live on less than we did so that we will continue to do so after this "recession" is over. It may have been just the reality check alot of us needed to curtail a lot of unnecessary spending habits.

to all of us that are going through these difficult times.

 

[kathianne]

My DH might as well be laid off. He is upper management but commission only in the car business. It is uglier then it has ever been in 20 plus years in the business. I won't get into all the details but to say things are tough at home right now is an understatement. Most of it is my fault, not his but that still doesn't solve the problems. I am hoping with the new election even though I don't like the leader at all that consumer sentiment changes.

I will keep all of you in my thoughts, it is real tough out there right now for more then just us thats for sure.

Oh, that is tough, I never thought about car sales!

Perhaps he should look for something else, another job? Good luck to you!

BTW, my cousin is upper management for a pharmaceutical company, mainly commission-based, and he's feeling the same pain, he's too old to look for something else, 63, was planning on retiring, but now his 401k is shot and his pension and ss is based on his last 5 years or so of income, which has been about the lowest in 20 years, he would have been better off if he took early retirement at 62, who could have known that for working longer he'd wind up with less!

 

[twinklebug]

my cousin is upper management for a pharmaceutical company, mainly commission-based, and he's feeling the same pain

Wow - I thought drug sales would be immune from the financial environnment. You'd think pharmaceutical sales would but UP if anything with all the stress everyone's going through & the sickness that comes from that.

My DH might as well be laid off. He is upper management but commission only in the car business. It is uglier then it has ever been in 20 plus years in the business.

I bought a new car in January... just got a note in the mail from the dealership (a group mailing to all recent purchases?) to come trade in our cars for newer models AND reduce our car payments. ... they are hurting. I'm not taking them up on their offer, but I wonder if many folk will.