Member-only story
FILED UNDER: REACTIVE THOUGHTS
What to Expect When Not Expecting a Paycheck
A Marginally Helpful Companion Guide
So you don’t have a paycheck coming Friday? We’re all in this together at least — ‘til the end of the month.
For those in or near this situation of not being able to pay their bills soon, it’s good to have a heads up so you can anticipate what will likely happen, based on the experience of someone who’s been there.
Many are finding out for the first time that when you lose your job in this country and there’s no (more) savings, you are — nearly immediately — in danger of losing your place to live, having your water, gas, or electricity shut off, losing your car, (and lapsing on your car insurance, which will significantly affect any future rate), having your phone disconnected (which may be your only internet connection), and other repercussions they hadn’t even considered.
In the United States, it takes approximately one month for every $10,000 of income to find a comparable new job.
That statistic has held up pretty accurately with my last three job changes, personally. Of course, that’s when we’re in a “normal” job market — all bets are kind of off right…
