Embracing Unemployment: A Journey of Resilience and Rediscovery
For the past five months, the word “unemployment” has loomed over my family like a shadow, casting uncertainty and fear. What was once our worst nightmare has become our reality. However, amidst the challenges, I’ve discovered a deeper appreciation for our family values and the importance of spending quality time together. Unemployment has forced us to cut down on frivolous spending and reassess our priorities.
As a mother, I believe that building resilience in our children begins with cultivating it within ourselves. Instead of succumbing to fear, I’ve chosen to view this period as an adventure and a test of our fortitude. Nevertheless, it hasn’t been without its share of stressors.
My husband has always been the primary breadwinner in our family. While I’ve worked part-time for supplementary income since becoming a mother a decade ago, we’ve primarily relied on his paychecks to sustain our household. It was a sacrifice we willingly made to nurture our family. To date, he’s applied for over a hundred jobs, leveraging his qualifications and more than ten years of experience in his field. Yet, the question lingers: Why hasn’t he secured another job?
This is a question many Americans are grappling with today. According to Business Insider, numerous US companies have been downsizing their workforce in 2023, with over two hundred thousand tech-related layoffs alone.
During the summer, we survived on our savings. Each week brought the hope of a potential job posting or, if we were fortunate, an interview. To make ends meet, I sought ways to reduce our current expenses, and we took on freelance work. Finally, in August, we applied for nutritional assistance, insurance, and unemployment benefits. It was difficult to accept that it had come to this, but then I remembered that we had been contributing to this system throughout our entire careers.
Our savings provided us with enough to cover about three to six months of living expenses. Additionally, involving our children in discussions about the family budget has not only helped them understand our financial situation but also prepared them for managing their finances in the future. Here are some strategies I’ve learned to keep costs low and boost our savings:
Budgeting Tips for Families:
Car Payment: Are you driving a vehicle that’s beyond your means? Both my husband and I drive practical cars without car payments. In this season, I’ve never been more grateful for the oldest car in the school parking lot.
Health Insurance: The middle class often grapples with exorbitant insurance premiums and impractical deductibles. If that’s the case for you, consider switching to a health share or an independent plan outside of your employer’s offerings. Zion Health-share, which I discovered through an insurance broker, is one option, but conduct your research to find what suits your family’s needs best.
Shop Secondhand: Purchasing furniture through platforms like Offerup, Facebook Marketplace, or outlets has consistently saved my family money. We also thrift clothes and explore the “used” options on Amazon Marketplace.
Cook at Home: Besides being healthier, preparing meals at home is more cost-effective. Create a weekly meal plan and stick to it, buying items in bulk and opting for sale items whenever possible.
Seek Updated Insurance Quotes: Consider obtaining updated quotes for car or homeowner’s insurance. After years of loyalty to one plan, we switched this summer and saved over $1300!
Trim Down Subscriptions: Do you really need subscriptions to every streaming platform? Those monthly fees add up.
Be prepared to apply promptly for government assistance. The process can be challenging, requiring extensive documentation and communication with past employers to verify termination.
We initially applied in May but faced a denial due to an application error. Had we been more persistent and followed up, we would have discovered the mistake earlier. After a three-hour phone call and additional paperwork, we resolved the issue in August. This delay cost us nearly three months of assistance. Therefore, don’t hesitate to dispute a decision and make that phone call.
Contact your utility company, internet service provider, and phone carrier. There are numerous government grants available to assist low-income families with monthly savings. For instance, APS currently offers a 25% discount on bills for eligible customers, and through a program called Lifeline, we receive a $30 reduction on our monthly internet bill.
If you suspect you might be facing a layoff, start saving. Despite inflation, saving has never been more critical. I highly recommend using an app like Dave Ramsey’s “Every Dollar” to create a monthly budget. You’ll be surprised to see where your money goes each month. I found ways to set aside a little here and there, and it added up.
As a parent, I believe this season is teaching our entire family resilience and the true value of togetherness. While it’s undoubtedly a challenging time for us, we will persevere. This too shall pass.