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I woke up today with a nice surprise from HR. I got laid off. It was the most impersonal and robotic email I received. 20 minutes later all my accounts got dis

I woke up today with a nice surprise from HR. I got laid off. It was the most impersonal and robotic email I received. 20 minutes later all my accounts got disabled, not a chance to even say farewell to my nice co-workers. It sucks. I don't have a ton of savings. Luckily my car is paid off, and I only have student loans left. I was very tempted to inflate my lifestyle after I got a big raise. I didn't do it, otherwise i'd be in a world of shit. At least I can survive for a couple month or so. Stay strong people

fred_is_fred 7y ago
I'm not sure if you are in the US, but if you are apply for unemployment and apply now. The sooner you do it the longer your savings will last. And having gone through this before, you need to cut spending to the bone. Beyond not going out to eat since that is handled, but see if you can reduce your car insurance, drop online recurring services, etc.
- seniordevconfuz 7y ago
  That's a great advice. Yes I am in the US.I will start that application right now. I panic paid off my car insurance just in case things get worse. I'll shop for a cheaper phone plan. Gym memberships, online streaming and frivolous stuff will go. Capitalism for the win.
  - fred_is_fred 7y ago
    You should have already put your gym on hold - see if they will freeze it. Presumably you have not been in at least 2 weeks. Also if you are not driving you can perhaps get a discount for the mileage reduction. You might also just let them know you are laid off.
    - Red-Ted 7y ago
      Your insurance will go up if you're unemployed don't bother telling them mate.
      - protomyth 7y ago
        Second this, don't tell them - it will make life a pain in the butt.
  - jedberg 7y ago
    Before you cut everything, keep in mind that you're still a human being and have psychological needs. If that streaming service brings you hours of joy, it might be cheaper to keep it than the bills for your mental health treatment down the line. Don't just cut everything out of your life cold turkey. Keep something that brings you joy.
    - seanmcdirmid 7y ago
      Having just basic internet and youtube can go a long way. So you can get creative during a crisis and learn to work with a bit less to get almost as much.
      - cferr 7y ago
        Even a deck of playing cards can kill plenty of time. Pencils and paper are cheap as well.
      - bdcravens 7y ago
        There are also a few free services. A lot of them (IMDB tv, tubi, etc) show alot of the same movies and shows, but Pluto TV is actually a very interesting service (features content from Viacom and "clip shows" from networks like CNN)
      - cwkoss 7y ago
        You can stream most movies and TV shows online for free if you are willing to spend the time looking for them! Friendly reminder that there is nothing immoral about "piracy" of digital content. Culture should be free, so if you're not in a position to afford content, don't pay for it.
        kortilla 7y ago
        > Culture should be free, Tell that to the artists who want to make a living making this stuff.
      - jdofaz 7y ago
        TV antenna is another option if you don't want to pay for land line internet
  - bdcravens 7y ago
    > I'll shop for a cheaper phone plan. May not apply to you, but if you're an Xfinity customer, their mobile service is a great value: runs on the Verizon network, and you only pay for data. I switched to it for a few months during a financial crisis I had. It wasn't good for tethering (that gets too expensive vs. a carrier like Verizon), but there were months my bill was only $12 or $24 due to minimal data use (I brought my iPhone from Verizon)
    - mgerdts 7y ago
      I was using Verizon on a 2 GiB shared plan with my wife. Neither of us use much data, so we always had plenty left over. Switched to Spectrum, which is also on Verizon. It requires Spectrum internet or TV. The bill dropped from about $80 fo the two of us to $28. The new plan is $14 per phone per gig, data is shared. The price includes all taxes. The only extra charges are for international calls or adding another gig.
      - hedora 7y ago
        Tracfone can be slightly cheaper, especially for light users. I’m on their cheapest smartphone plan at $10/month/phone. (You have to buy a year ahead to get this rate, but you can get to $12 with a two month purchase). They work on the TMobile, Verizon and AT&T network, and you can bring your own unlocked phone.
  - maineldc 7y ago
    > I panic paid off my car insurance just in case things get worse. Still shop as you will get a refund from your current insurer when you cancel. Just because you paid doesn't mean that money is gone!
  - jimmydddd 7y ago
    Millions of people are filing for unemployment right now. Do this first. Like, reasearch over the weekend and get to filing first thing Monday morning.
  - g_langenderfer 7y ago
    Capitalism didn't give people an appetite for bat.
    - alex7o 7y ago
      Ironically it did, if you are poor you will eat anything to survive imo?
      - g_langenderfer 7y ago
        As a result of china's partial capitalism adoption: https://ourworldindata.org/exports/size-poverty-gap-world_v2_850x600.svg https://ourworldindata.org/exports/size-poverty-gap-world_v2...
  - baidoct 7y ago
    You can cancel your online streaming, I got free slot on my accounts :) I'd be happy to share with you.
aerovistae 7y ago
You can stop your student loans completely. I went a very long time without paying them when I was unemployed.
- unemphysbro 7y ago
  I believe if the loans are non-stafford interest accrues. I had to pause my repayments this month because of job-hunt.
  - pickle-wizard 7y ago
    They dropped the interest rate to 0% on all Federal student loans. So you won't accrue interest while in deferment right now.
    - sanderjd 7y ago
      Unfortunately a lot of student loan debt is not in federal loans.
  - seniordevconfuz 7y ago
    I just checked, they put it on a 0% interest until further notice. What a relief! You should have seen my severance package lol, peanuts.
oarabbus_ 7y ago
My partner's friend had a large number of people let go during a zoom meeting. It was horribly planned, several people showed up 3-5 minutes late each time they had to say "you're laid off" yet again, etc.
- neuronexmachina 7y ago
  Bird? https://dot.la/bird-layoffs-meeting-story-2645612465.html https://dot.la/bird-layoffs-meeting-story-2645612465.html
  - oarabbus_ 7y ago
    Wow... didn't know there were more but sadly not surprised. I was referring to TripActions https://techcrunch.com/2020/03/25/tripactions-reportedly-lays-off-hundreds-amid-covid-19-travel-freeze/?guccounter=1 https://techcrunch.com/2020/03/25/tripactions-reportedly-lay...
- mgleason_3 7y ago
  This Zoom (who apparently has some large security issues)? https://citizenlab.ca/2020/04/move-fast-roll-your-own-crypto-a-quick-look-at-the-confidentiality-of-zoom-meetings/ https://citizenlab.ca/2020/04/move-fast-roll-your-own-crypto...
Souzana 7y ago
Goes to show, companies don't give a damn, and people will start realizing this pretty fast. "Company family" my ass dude
- silexia 7y ago
  Companies are like individuals. Some companies go far above and beyond to take care of their employees. I am the owner of an agency and converted our goals from profit to maintaining our team without layoffs. We are restructuring a bit to make this happen, but have not laid anyone off. We do not anticipate doing so unless we lose 2/3 of our revenue. Companies backed by finance guys are psychopaths. They only have one goal - to make as much money as possible. They will sacrifice the people on their teams to get there. This goes for VCs, public companies, private equity, debt finance companies etc.
  - ineedausername 7y ago
    Guess I'm lucky to be working on military software, avoiding lots of bullsiht and probably no layoffs here. I hope company "culture" and "family" crap that most companies sell will die off with them.
  - jdhzzz 7y ago
    I remember how grateful I was when I received a 25% pay cut after the dot-com bubble burst and tried to take the small consultancy I worked for with it. Not everyone made it, there were some layoffs, but all survivors got a cut in pay.

fred_is_fred 7y ago

I'm not sure if you are in the US, but if you are apply for unemployment and apply now. The sooner you do it the longer your savings will last. And having gone through this before, you need to cut spending to the bone. Beyond not going out to eat since that is handled, but see if you can reduce your car insurance, drop online recurring services, etc.

seniordevconfuz 7y ago
That's a great advice. Yes I am in the US.I will start that application right now. I panic paid off my car insurance just in case things get worse. I'll shop for a cheaper phone plan. Gym memberships, online streaming and frivolous stuff will go. Capitalism for the win.
- fred_is_fred 7y ago
  You should have already put your gym on hold - see if they will freeze it. Presumably you have not been in at least 2 weeks. Also if you are not driving you can perhaps get a discount for the mileage reduction. You might also just let them know you are laid off.
  - Red-Ted 7y ago
    Your insurance will go up if you're unemployed don't bother telling them mate.
    - protomyth 7y ago
      Second this, don't tell them - it will make life a pain in the butt.
- jedberg 7y ago
  Before you cut everything, keep in mind that you're still a human being and have psychological needs. If that streaming service brings you hours of joy, it might be cheaper to keep it than the bills for your mental health treatment down the line. Don't just cut everything out of your life cold turkey. Keep something that brings you joy.
  - seanmcdirmid 7y ago
    Having just basic internet and youtube can go a long way. So you can get creative during a crisis and learn to work with a bit less to get almost as much.
    - cferr 7y ago
      Even a deck of playing cards can kill plenty of time. Pencils and paper are cheap as well.
    - bdcravens 7y ago
      There are also a few free services. A lot of them (IMDB tv, tubi, etc) show alot of the same movies and shows, but Pluto TV is actually a very interesting service (features content from Viacom and "clip shows" from networks like CNN)
    - cwkoss 7y ago
      You can stream most movies and TV shows online for free if you are willing to spend the time looking for them! Friendly reminder that there is nothing immoral about "piracy" of digital content. Culture should be free, so if you're not in a position to afford content, don't pay for it.
      - kortilla 7y ago
        > Culture should be free, Tell that to the artists who want to make a living making this stuff.
    - jdofaz 7y ago
      TV antenna is another option if you don't want to pay for land line internet
- bdcravens 7y ago
  > I'll shop for a cheaper phone plan. May not apply to you, but if you're an Xfinity customer, their mobile service is a great value: runs on the Verizon network, and you only pay for data. I switched to it for a few months during a financial crisis I had. It wasn't good for tethering (that gets too expensive vs. a carrier like Verizon), but there were months my bill was only $12 or $24 due to minimal data use (I brought my iPhone from Verizon)
  - mgerdts 7y ago
    I was using Verizon on a 2 GiB shared plan with my wife. Neither of us use much data, so we always had plenty left over. Switched to Spectrum, which is also on Verizon. It requires Spectrum internet or TV. The bill dropped from about $80 fo the two of us to $28. The new plan is $14 per phone per gig, data is shared. The price includes all taxes. The only extra charges are for international calls or adding another gig.
    - hedora 7y ago
      Tracfone can be slightly cheaper, especially for light users. I’m on their cheapest smartphone plan at $10/month/phone. (You have to buy a year ahead to get this rate, but you can get to $12 with a two month purchase). They work on the TMobile, Verizon and AT&T network, and you can bring your own unlocked phone.
- maineldc 7y ago
  > I panic paid off my car insurance just in case things get worse. Still shop as you will get a refund from your current insurer when you cancel. Just because you paid doesn't mean that money is gone!
- jimmydddd 7y ago
  Millions of people are filing for unemployment right now. Do this first. Like, reasearch over the weekend and get to filing first thing Monday morning.
- g_langenderfer 7y ago
  Capitalism didn't give people an appetite for bat.
  - alex7o 7y ago
    Ironically it did, if you are poor you will eat anything to survive imo?
    - g_langenderfer 7y ago
      As a result of china's partial capitalism adoption: https://ourworldindata.org/exports/size-poverty-gap-world_v2_850x600.svg https://ourworldindata.org/exports/size-poverty-gap-world_v2...
- baidoct 7y ago
  You can cancel your online streaming, I got free slot on my accounts :) I'd be happy to share with you.

aerovistae 7y ago

You can stop your student loans completely. I went a very long time without paying them when I was unemployed.

unemphysbro 7y ago
I believe if the loans are non-stafford interest accrues. I had to pause my repayments this month because of job-hunt.
- pickle-wizard 7y ago
  They dropped the interest rate to 0% on all Federal student loans. So you won't accrue interest while in deferment right now.
  - sanderjd 7y ago
    Unfortunately a lot of student loan debt is not in federal loans.
- seniordevconfuz 7y ago
  I just checked, they put it on a 0% interest until further notice. What a relief! You should have seen my severance package lol, peanuts.

oarabbus_ 7y ago

My partner's friend had a large number of people let go during a zoom meeting. It was horribly planned, several people showed up 3-5 minutes late each time they had to say "you're laid off" yet again, etc.

neuronexmachina 7y ago
Bird? https://dot.la/bird-layoffs-meeting-story-2645612465.html https://dot.la/bird-layoffs-meeting-story-2645612465.html
- oarabbus_ 7y ago
  Wow... didn't know there were more but sadly not surprised. I was referring to TripActions https://techcrunch.com/2020/03/25/tripactions-reportedly-lays-off-hundreds-amid-covid-19-travel-freeze/?guccounter=1 https://techcrunch.com/2020/03/25/tripactions-reportedly-lay...
mgleason_3 7y ago
This Zoom (who apparently has some large security issues)? https://citizenlab.ca/2020/04/move-fast-roll-your-own-crypto-a-quick-look-at-the-confidentiality-of-zoom-meetings/ https://citizenlab.ca/2020/04/move-fast-roll-your-own-crypto...

Souzana 7y ago

Goes to show, companies don't give a damn, and people will start realizing this pretty fast. "Company family" my ass dude

silexia 7y ago
Companies are like individuals. Some companies go far above and beyond to take care of their employees. I am the owner of an agency and converted our goals from profit to maintaining our team without layoffs. We are restructuring a bit to make this happen, but have not laid anyone off. We do not anticipate doing so unless we lose 2/3 of our revenue. Companies backed by finance guys are psychopaths. They only have one goal - to make as much money as possible. They will sacrifice the people on their teams to get there. This goes for VCs, public companies, private equity, debt finance companies etc.
- ineedausername 7y ago
  Guess I'm lucky to be working on military software, avoiding lots of bullsiht and probably no layoffs here. I hope company "culture" and "family" crap that most companies sell will die off with them.
- jdhzzz 7y ago
  I remember how grateful I was when I received a 25% pay cut after the dot-com bubble burst and tried to take the small consultancy I worked for with it. Not everyone made it, there were some layoffs, but all survivors got a cut in pay.