Out of the Box Solutions for Job Loss Part 1 of 3
Frances | March 31, 2009
In celebration, yes I mean celebration of my job loss due to a lay off I bring you this post. Yes, I am a little scared. Yes, I am a little worried. None of these emotions are going to get me through the next couple of months. Hopefully this post will ease your mind as it has mine in these troubling times.
So, as I celebrate my few weeks of relief from the stress of a job, I celebrate the new path that God has planned for me. I celebrate the love and support from my family and friends. Thank you.
Out of the Box Solutions for Job Loss Part 1 of 3
These tips are not just for those who have lost their jobs, read on you may pick up something that you can use.
It happens to the best of us. We loose our job.
After you have done the standard things, apply for unemployment, update and send out your resume, started networking…here are a few things that you can do to help you save some money while you are looking for your next job.
For Yourself and Family
- Get the entire family evolved, including the children. They need to know the situation and that the family has to stick together to get through this. Kids have a funny way of looking at things and may surprise you on ideas they come up with to cut cost and raise money, just give them a chance (age appropriate of course).
- Communicate to your all your friends and family. Ask them for assistance in looking for a new job. This will also relieve you of unnecessary gift purchases for birthdays and holidays.
- Visit the in-laws and friends for home cooked dinners. Have them over for a pot luck. This is not only a great way to network but you will save money by only having to prepare one item on the menu and you could be left with some leftovers (food and ideas).
Shut Down the Extras
- Call the cable company and turn it off. You can always rent movies from Redbox free on Monday and Wednesdays monthly. Rent DVDs from the library, most libraries let you rent out DVDs for weeks at a time. Start reading or playing board games as a family instead of watching TV.
- Do you have two cars and one car that is paid for? Call your insurance and only cover liability on the paid for car and let it sit. Car pool with one vehicle.
- Call your cell phone company and sign up for the lowest possible monthly plan until your contract is up. Then don’t renew it until you get back on your feet with a new job. Most cell phone companies offer a emergency use 911 contracts. I removed the call waiting, caller ID, and long distance service from my Cellular South phone and saved $40 a month!
- Purchase a pay as you go cell phone for job call backs and emergencies. Tracfone. Using this site, I found a cell phone with 60 minutes as low as $19.99.
- Lower your services on your home phone, evaluate if you need caller ID, conference calling, call waiting, and voice mail. An answering machine is a much cheaper alternative to paying for the phone voice mail.
- Disconnect your home phone if you already have a cell phone. If you must have to have a home phone, try Skype as a replacement. This site offers free calls, video calls, and instant messaging over the internet.
- If you need to call long distance, purchase a calling card from Sam’s Club or shop around for a calling card. This is a cheaper alternative than paying the phone company monthly for this service.
- Disconnect your internet services. Use the local library for your internet. This will get you out of the house every day to go to the library, keep you off the couch, and give you an opportunity to rent books and DVDs for the week. If must have internet at home, check out NetZero for 10 hours a month of free internet.
- Pay attention to the thermostat and what you use during the day while you are at home. You don’t want your power bill to go up because you are at home during the day when before you weren’t. Can you open the windows and use the ceiling fans?
- Pull the plug on the appliances that you are not using. An appliance is constantly using power while it is not in use. You remote control TV is just waiting for you to hit the on button, this burns power.
- Call your power company and ask if you can be put on a set payment plan. This will help avoid the fluctuation in power bills while you are out of work.
- Buy a tube of caulk and start insulating those windows, like you didn’t have time to do while you had a job.
These tips are not just for those who have lost their jobs, read on you may pick up something that you can use. Click here to see part 2 of 3 and Click here to see part 3 of 3 of this post.
