How To: Survive Layoffs & Government Shutdown Panic
How does one even begin to navigate this topic? Is someone able to survive a government shutdown and layoffs at the same time? I hope so, because that’s our reality right now. I don’t know what’s in the water, or what’s going on right now, but it just feels like I’m trying to navigate Mt. Doom.
Step 1: Get Your Affairs In Order
It’s important to figure out how much of an adult you are. Have you been saving? Are you living paycheck to paycheck? Are you winging it? Honestly, nothing can prepare you for a government shutdown and a layoff to happen at the same time. As I said in my previous post, I’m basically in full panic mode. The news leaked that my company is laying off 2000 employees next week, and I most certainly do not feel safe. It’s rumored they will continue into March, so even if I survive this layoff, nothing is saying I’ll survive the next.
We just moved here, so we have been trying to readjust our finances. Everything is more expensive here and our paychecks don’t reflect that. Moving also comes with new expenses, furnishing the new home, re-buying stupid things like condiments or blinds. It all adds up SO fast.
Enter YNAB.
This is not an ad. I repeat, not an ad. We genuinely use and love this app. Back around 2019, we had just bought our home and we were adjusting to our new paychecks. Finances were tight and I was trying to budget, but you can’t budget for two people, when one person isn’t fully on-board. A few tiffs occurred, and one day a friend noticed Drew paying for things with a debit card.
The friend said, “Drew, I know you guys have the Chase Sapphire and the Amex (military gets these without the fees), you need to be paying for your day to day stuff with these cards! You will accrue so many points.” Naturally, Drew’s response was something along the lines of, how we were trying to avoid accruing more credit card debt since Hurricane Florence hit us hard.
Then our friend changed our lives with one simple app.
You Need A Budget for Shutdowns and Layoffs
This app is incredible. In simple terms, YNAB is a budgeting app. It is similar to the envelopes method, but is digitized. You learn where every single one of your dollars is going. It doesn’t allow you to budget money you don’t have, so you really learn your spending habits throughout each month.
After you use it enough, it will tell you how old your money is, i.e., if your money is 30 days old it means that your money hits your account on the 1st of the month and you don’t spend it for a month, meaning you are budgeting well and have a good cushion. OR your money is a only a day old and when it hits your account you immediately spend it.
Obviously the latter, is not ideal, but sometimes that’s the case. That’s how it was initially for us, but over time we were able to see what was going on and made adjustments. I’m not talking changing how we lived, but we made smarter decisions, had the same amount of fun, and paid off like 15k in various life debts we had in the first year we used the app.
How YNAB Changed the Game & Will Help Us Prep for a Shutdown and Layoffs
At one point, when I wanted to quit my bedside job after a really toxic experience, Drew said we had about two months of cushioning, so I could put in my two weeks notice and would be ok to wait for my new job to start up in the next month and change.
If you watch the videos created by Nick True, he will help you set up your app to your specific needs and show you how to make your money categories. We have our home expenses, digital subscriptions, dog needs, home unforeseen, date nights, personal fun money, saving for the unforeseen like government shutdowns, and more. We currently have a category helping us save up for our trip to Scotland to see the Queen Mother: Taylor Swift. I’m telling you this app is *chef’s kiss*. We’ve gotten so many people to use it, I feel like their spokesperson… Hey YNAB, wanna hire me?
Back on topic – How are we preparing for a shutdown and layoffs?
If you’re about to be laid off or your paycheck is being held in a choke hold by the government shutdown, this app will help you plan for the unforeseen. It will call you out if you’re overspending. You will see if you’re spending a lot of money on silly things. You will truly be educated on your personal finances and habits.
Currently, we’re learning our house & life here is expensive, and we can’t really afford to have our paychecks messed with. Luckily, they’ve pushed the potential shut down to November, so we have hopefully more time to navigate this mess, but still not ideal.
Since this isn’t an ideal situation, we have been cutting back on subscriptions, focusing on what we’re buying at the grocery store, and trying to tighten up on the unnecessary spending, but still have fun living our lives. Drew is looking into monetizing his drone footage, I’m trying to pick up more photography sessions, but also I might just go pick up a part time job at a brewery.
Networking Life
We’ve been around the area and have been scoping out potential locations for me to pick up a part time gig. I’m not just going to pick up a gig anywhere either. I want to feel safe, I want to have fun, I want it to be worth my while, I want to meet cool people, and I want Drew to enjoy coming there to hang if I am working. No one wants to be working on football Sunday at a place that isn’t playing the game or a place where no one goes. THAT would make ZERO financial sense.
Working in the service industry can have a stigma, but honestly it’s quick and easy money. There were times when I worked at a restaurant and walked out with $600 after a 3 hour week night shift. Yes, I know that is so rare, but sometimes the service industry is where it’s at for quick, easy, mindless money. Or I could just go be a stripper… JK. Also, with Drew being a pilot and our friends being spread out all over this area, working at a bar or brewery just seems like a good way to spend my time when he’s on trips.
Networking Nursing
Other networking we’ve been doing is chatting with local nurses to see what the area is like to work in. There’s a real possibility that I may have to go back to the bedside, but that isn’t the first thing I want to do. If I did, it would have to be a good unit with good pay and not a place where staffing ratios are trash. I have had so much flexibility with my current job, and I want to continue to have that. Especially with our upcoming trips to see family for the holidays and our trip to Scotland next summer, I need that flexibility.
Pshh… I wish I could just find a unicorn job – one that’s fun, positively challenging, one where you’re appreciated for your work and your drive, one that pays well, gives unlimited PTO, maternity leave, bonuses, and just rocks to be a part of.
^ This is delusional, but a girl can dream.
What to be aware of : Government Shutdown
If the government is going to shutdown, the military doesn’t get paid. We have been through this before. Once was when we both were working for the government. It’s terrifying, but USAA and Navy Fed will still pay you your paychecks.
USAA will provide you your paycheck, but it’s via a 0% interest loan. This link will provide you further information. Navy Fed also has it’s own requirements that you can view here. Please don’t come at me if you happen to read this post years later when the government inevitably has another shutdown and the links are inaccurate. USAA and Navy Fed have always offered some sort of assistance when we have a shutdown, and it’s your own personal duty to do the research and see what they can do.
What to be aware of : Layoffs
As for layoffs, I’ve personally never been through one, but I’m making sure that I pay attention to any wording and reasoning as to why they would be laying me off if it comes down to that for me. I’ve been told it’s random, but nothing is random with these corporations. They all want to make money and protect their bottom line. We are all ultimately replaceable in their eyes. No matter how “united” the company tries to say they are.
I personally would just love to share that this company says they ‘love military members and their families’ but would lay off a military spouse during a government shut down. News flash, these companies do not care. It’s all a crock. If they did care, they wouldn’t be taking company jets places, wouldn’t be taking massive bonuses, and wouldn’t be laying off their top performers because they cost the company a lot of money.
Again, it’s allllll about their money and not the workers making the money.
Step 2: Avoid the Admin
This is a joke, but also isn’t. The level of admin that I need to do is too much. I am so overwhelmed and I feel totally chaotic. Ultimately, I have to protect myself mentally and right now Drew is fully aware of my overstimulating levels of stress and anxiety over this. I mean, knowledge of looming layoffs is so messed up. It’s like knowing you’re going to die next week, but not when or how.
I’m doing what I can and what I can do is: 1. my job and 2. try to organize my photography website, but even that is like too much for me. Writing this blog has been helpful to navigate my thoughts and feelings. It gives me something else to focus on instead of focusing on things I can’t really control. Similar to my failing Fantasy team right now. I have no control over it, so … I’m just ignoring it. Do I recommend that ? No, BUT I know that Drew has us handled right now. He’s been so good in trying to help me through this stress and this weird feeling I’m in.
Also, picking weeds in Animal Crossing is helping ground me. Is this productive? Probably not, but like I said, I’m just trying to survive right now.
Step 3: Self Care Sunday
Last weekend, I was traveling, so naturally I didn’t sleep. I felt like I was catching up on sleep all this week. Even with trying to go to bed early, I didn’t sleep well this week, probably from the stress. Normally, I would’ve slept in on Saturday, but I had to work, so I was up at 6 am. So, today I really tried to make sure I got plenty of sleep.
I’ve been taking today easy. I laid in bed thinking about this blog post and how I was going to write it. Shocking I’m sure, but I have just been winging them all. Then I did some skin care with some of my favorite products.
- Tula’s Triple-Hydra™ Complex day & night serum: I love this stuff. It’s so hydrating and really wakes up my skin in the morning, or honestly whenever I use it. Sometimes I pair this serum with their Dew Your Thing Moisturizing Gel Cream. I try to use natural, cruelty free, products, and Tula’s products don’t irritate my skin, like others have in the past. If you go in my bathroom, you’ll see predominantly Tula skin care products, so if you ever have questions on what I use, I’m happy to share.
- Derma-E’s Vitamin C Bright Eyes Hydro Gel Patches: I don’t use these all the time, but if I feel puffy or need an under eye boost, these babies do the trick. They’re another product that doesn’t irritate my skin, and leaves me feeling refreshed and hydrated. Do I know what these products actually do? No. Am I a normal skin care gurlie? No. But I feel like I see results like, “Instantly transforms puffy-looking eyes into well-rested, wide-awake eyes with these cooling eye gel patches,” with these so…. *shrugs* I use it. Derma-E is another company that tries to use good ingredients that will help your skin, so yea.. I like these a lot.
- Sol De Janeiro Brazilian Bum Bum Cream: I am obsessed with this stuff. It smells SO good and I feel like my skin is so soft and hydrated when I use it. Is it expensive? Totally, but I feel like it’s absolutely worth it, just wait until you can find deals on it and strike when it’s hot! I also just found out that you can order refills for their lotion!! YAY for eco friendly attempts! “Refill pods provide the same amount of our iconic body cream with 89% less plastic. Clean and dry your current jar (and lid), slip pod into place and enjoy!”
And because I like distracting myself and romanticizing my life as a ~*Relatable Queen*~, here’s a TikTok of my morning.
Final Thoughts on Government Shutdowns and Layoffs
Can anyone really prepare to survive these things? I don’t know. It’s too much. Ultimately, I just hope that I can look back on this and be like L-O-L what a time. Look at what you’ve over come. Look at what you learned. Am I learning things? Not sure, but I did find my GRWM tiktok funny and relatable. I’ve always tried to find the humor in my life, and this time is no exception. Like I said, buckle in because we are on a roller coaster ride right now.
Off to go watch more football, shove my face full of little baby weiners in blankets, play Animal Crossing and shit maybe I’ll try cross stitching to feel something new.
Happy Sunday, this is Wing It Wife, signing off.
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