Things getting real now

That stinks. If the work isn’t there, it isn’t there. I guess a furlough is better than firing…. Hope the month is it.
In Silicon Valley, there used to be feast or famine cycles; high highs and tough lows. Companies were rewarded by how well they managed the downturns as much as their products.
We had furloughs if orders were expected to come back quickly and layoffs for the longer term.
High tech is a roller coaster, not for everyone and not for the faint hearted.
 
In Silicon Valley, there used to be feast or famine cycles; high highs and tough lows. Companies were rewarded by how well they managed the downturns as much as their products.
We had furloughs if orders were expected to come back quickly and layoffs for the longer term.
High tech is a roller coaster, not for everyone and not for the faint hearted.
Of course the OP is talking about someone in real America… Carlisle, PA.

More or less the entirety of America, including CA, and all the latest “booming” cities are NOT the Bay Area.

Thus the feasts are much more meager, and the famines just as harsh.
 
This is why I feel like you should always live below your pay grade and bank the difference. You never know what's going to happen these days, lifetime (or even long term expectations of...) employment at the same company is a thing of yesteryear.
Agree 100%

Not looking for a furlough, but if one came, I wouldn’t care. I mean, I would… but I wouldn’t.

We have three kids. That’s the example I’ll use. My wife took off/is taking off a year or more for each, not thinking twice about it. Effectively a furlough situation. We still contribute fully to her retirement savings, still do whatever we wish including travel, etc.

But it’s because we’ve been careful to live below our means.
 
Of course the OP is talking about someone in real America… Carlisle, PA.

More or less the entirety of America, including CA, and all the latest “booming” cities are NOT the Bay Area.

Thus the feasts are much more meager, and the famines just as harsh.
I can tell I have seen many people and families crushed because they expected the high times to go on forever. Ride the wave!
There were more gorgeous German cars in the parking lot than Hondas. Man did I lust after those Porsches!
Unfortunately you can't eat a BMW...
 
I would tell them to "blank"-off. What a total slap in the face!
that sort of emotional instant reaction could be costly though, he and his family can use the 'warning' as an opportunity to milk his medical/dental/vision insurance benefits to the max at company expense BEFORE terminating and getting ZILCH! Get all those family dental exams/issues addressed, all vaccinations current, glasses/contact lenses/exams done, age and family history appropriate exams/tests done. (colonoscopy for example). My recent colonoscopy ran $4000, a pair of 'shingles' vaccination shots retails at $400 for the uninsured at Walmart, use this unpaid month to treat yourself and family to a last minute severance package of medical benefits that will cost a family many thousands or even tens of thousands of out-of-pocket $ once insurance coverage ends.
 
that sort of emotional instant reaction could be costly though, he and his family can use the 'warning' as an opportunity to milk his medical/dental/vision insurance benefits to the max at company expense BEFORE terminating and getting ZILCH! Get all those family dental exams/issues addressed, all vaccinations current, glasses/contact lenses/exams done, age and family history appropriate exams/tests done. (colonoscopy for example). My recent colonoscopy ran $4000, a pair of 'shingles' vaccination shots retails at $400 for the uninsured at Walmart, use this unpaid month to treat yourself and family to a last minute severance package of medical benefits that will cost a family many thousands or even tens of thousands of out-of-pocket $ once insurance coverage ends.
Yeah you've got a point. I'd milk the cow dry:D
 
Here at the end of December to late Jan/early Feb is a slow down of construction projects. It's pretty common here for companies who have a lot of jobs involving city/state/fed contracts to go through a slow-down period and/or "lay-off" employees like engineers until the season kicks back up again.
 
If he's a penny pincher, he can ride it out, and have some time with his family, while reconsidering his future career. Might be the best thing is just to continue with the current job, but maybe there's other work available.
 
When I was an engineer and working "in the the bush", I wondered why I was the lowest paid guy at the job site. Oh the foreman said, "the difference is that when times get tight, they'll all get laid off but the engineers will keep their jobs."

But that's not how it worked out. The next time times got tight, everyone at that site, and many of the engineers working for that company were laid off.

Or so I heard. I was almost finished medical school.
 
To update this thread; brother is taking month of August off. Filed for unemployment with my aunt who dealt with the system for 38 years. I’m trying to help him where do can as I still have 25 vacation days to use. Kinda hits home, but it is what it is. He’s a saver like me.

Hopefully he goes back to work. He plans to come to the Burgh’ (Pittsburgh) to explore job openings if wise goes to worse.
 
That's why you hear financial people say to build up a three month rainy day fund just for that reason. If he's a saver and penny pincher as you state, he likely already has one built up.
 
That's why you hear financial people say to build up a three month rainy day fund just for that reason. If he's a saver and penny pincher as you state, he likely already has one built up.
3 months may be enough if your skills are in super-high demand. For most people, the more senior you get (in your career), the longer it can take to find a new job. 6-12 month is more realistic nowadays.

There used to be a saying....it takes 1 month to replace $10k of salary. So if you used to make $100k, it may take you 10 months to replace that job.
 
Back
Top