In many jurisdictions, unemployment only covers 6 months, and it pays much less than an actual job. It also doesn't have taxes deducted, which can screw you ove

In many jurisdictions, unemployment only covers 6 months, and it pays much less than an actual job. It also doesn't have taxes deducted, which can screw you over later. When I was last unemployed, I qualified for maximum benefits, which was about half my post-tax salary at the job I got laid off from, but the unemployment money was pre-tax. I suppose I should be "lucky" that this occurred during the Great Recession, when unemployment got extended to 2 years (it's back to 6 months now), but I don't feel very lucky. 6 months of my old salary would be strictly better than unemployment, especially unemployment now that extended benefits are gone.