Mighty Bargain Hunter

Group writing project: Preparing for or dealing with job loss

August 24th, 2006 | by mbhunter |

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After reading and listening to a story about a recent Northwest Airlines “severance package” there were several things I thought of.

The main story deals with 60 laid-off employees of the bankrupt airline who received a tip sheet on “101 Ways to Save Money.” All of the tips are sensible ways to save money if you’re employed and enjoy frugal living, meaning that you save money because you choose to, rather than because you have to.

In the context of a layoff, though, these tips come off more as new burdens for your unemployed situation. A few, like taking shorter showers (#18) and dumpster diving (#46), are insulting. It’s #46 that incensed some people and especially humiliated those who were laid off. As an added bonus, it gives thrift in general a black eye by associating it with unemployment and poverty.

Overall, the list was generic and disorganized. It’s a mishmash of insurance tips, do-it-yourself tips, freegan practices, frugal living practices, energy-saving techniques, and so on. (Note: I haven’t seen the booklet myself.) With that caveat in mind, just about any personal finance blogger on the left sidebar — and most that aren’t! — could do a better job than these guys purportedly did.

Which brings me to the group writing project!! I just went out on a limb to say that most of you could do a better job. So, give it your best shot! Most of us are in the situation where we could be let go or have been let go (if there’s no chance of this, congratulations!) so I think there is some potential here for a good set of posts.

Here’s the scoop:

• Write a list related to preparing for, or dealing with, job loss. It can be an edit/reorg of the original list. It can be your own. It can be a preventive list or an after-the-fact survival list. A serious list. A funny list. A long or a short list. A list in iambic pentameter. It can be a satire: “Top ten things NWA might as well have advised.” And so forth. Lists you’ve previously posted are fine as long as they’re close to topic and original.
• Contact me when your list post is up with a permalink to your post, the title, and your preferred screen name.
• I’ll post a link to your list here. First come, first served. Being at the top of a popular list — which I hope this one will be — can get you a bit of traffic!
• Check out the lists that others have submitted and comment on them.
• Post about the lists that got your attention on your blog.

Easy enough, no? This should be fun!

1. 10 Ways to Prepare for Losing Your Job by No Credit Needed
2. The Right Way to Quit Your Job and What to Do After by Financial Freedumb
3. Laid Off, But not Out of Luck by Frugal for Life
4. Before the Rumors Start — The Best Time to Prepare for a Layoff by twinsmommy
5. What To Do Before a Job Loss Gets You Down by My Financial Awareness
6. Preparing for or dealing with job loss by My Money Forest
7. 5 tips to reduce the hurt of a lay-off and 10 tips for dealing with unexpected job loss by Life: personal, business, social

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