Wednesday, March 4, 2009

Worrying

So the Atlanta Journal Constitution ran an article yesterday discussing the possibilities of further lay-offs and possible furloughs for university system employees. At this point, all we can do is conjecture about what will result. I've been lucky so far, but I feel like I need to plan for the worst just in case.

I know that people everywhere are dealing with lay-offs and lost income and job searches. But it is scary to try to plan a wedding (even a very small, fiscally responsible one) during times like this. It's also incredibly frustrating to feel like we're really doing well at this point in aggressively paying down debt, living below our means, and taking responsibility for it all and that could easily be derailed if we lose income. Sometimes it can feel really defeating that we're taking these hits and we've been trying to be responsible.

Worst case scenario - I lose my job entirely. Here's what I'm guessing would happen. We'd have no health insurance at all. We'd have no long term savings. We'd have to take on a roommate to help with rent & utilities. We'd have to cancel the wedding. Paying down debt wouldn't happen for a long long time. Ugh. It's depressing.

To end on a more positive note, in the meantime, we'll be constricting our spending (I know this is one reason the economy sucks) and socking as much into savings and debt as we can.

2 comments:

andrea said...

you will be fine. you will be MORE than fine. a lot of folks who are struggling right now are ones that hadn't practiced living within their means when things were "good". you have been working towards getting things in order for longer than the economy has been in a downturn, and considering how resourceful you are, i am just not worried. fafa will triumph!!!

eo said...

How apropos that I just came from a
campus-wide budget forum. And that we were recently asked to cut 10% of our operating budget at the library.
There is talk of RIF in the air, Reductions in Force is another way of saying layoff. I know I have a job until June 30th, but I knew that when I got here.
Thanks for sharing!