sweetness (September 30th)

Yesterday everyone at my workplace was informed that as of today (October 1st), we'd be receiving a 10% pay cut for at least the next six months, at which time the company would "re-evaluate." I am pretty upset, a little freaked out, a little bit angry. I tell myself we'll be ok (and I do believe we will be), but it will be tight. And maybe even scary.

I wasn't at work when the announcement was made - I was working from home, spending extra time with Katie and Annabel. And one thing about kids, and especially babies, is that it's easy to look at their happy faces and forget that money matters very much at all. You say, "As long as we're together," and "as long as we're healthy." And you mean it.

Comments

[charlotte]

Oh hon, I hear you. I've been there, done that, too, with the paycuts and then the layoffs (heck, I'm on a 3-month "we're reevaluating" cycle now ...). It's scary, but the most important things for me are:
1. Simplify the lifestyle and go to town on those debts. Cut out the cable TV, the Starbucks, the meals out, etc., and try to pay off any outstanding credit cards and car loans especially (start with the high-interest ones).
2. Make sure to build an emergency fund, no matter how small. Just incase the worst thing happens, you will need some cash to tide you over. Yeah yeah, they say 6-8 months, but any little thing helps.
3. Tally up your professional achievements during the past year (they are many!) and update the resume, so that, if bad comes to worse, you can send nice copies out on the day of the layoff. Figure out which colleagues you'd put on your reference list. $20-$30 will buy you some really nice business cards at moo.com, just incase you have to do some unemployed shmoozing.
4. Find out how much your income would be if you had to go on unemployment. It's better to know in advance and to figure out how to make up the difference than be caught unawares. Same thing with healthcare.
Taking those steps, even when I wasn't in the first wave of layoffs, has often saved my peace of mind ...

[starlakitty]

wow, that is pretty crazy. i'm sorry you have to go through this. i would be so angry if i walked into work tomorrow and they told me they were decreasing my pay. hope it all works out for the best.

[Joanne]

Oh yikes, that's scary, I'm sure. Maybe you should get a job in Indianapolis? :) Seriously, I will be hoping for you that things get better, and yes, look at those beautiful girls and your beautiful family. It is all true, as long as you're together and healthy, what could happen? I'm thinking of you.

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[Jill]

I know what you mean. Staring at that picture of your beautiful baby made me forget that there was something to read underneath it.

[Annie]

Can they do that? I guess they just did. That really sucks. I'm sorry

[falwyn]

I'm sorry for the stress. But you're completely right. Especially about the meaning it.

[Ann]

Ouch! I'm so sorry. But glad you have the girls to give you some perspective.

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