I’ve lost my job and even though I was 22 with no health problems, I still think that cobra is usually a fantastic deal vs. the alternative. It may be worth calling around, but as soon as you bare bones, you know something big is going to pop up.

Also, cobra can be a huge huge expense. You’d be shocked to find out that the same benefits you paid $150 a month for when you worked there will now cost you $500 per month! It’s a great idea, but the costs can end up being ridiculous! I suggest going to esurance.com and look into getting a bare bones plan for emergencies which can be more affordable than cobra.

I did about the same as everyone else.
1.) Took the rest of the afternoon off (not that i had the choice) and didn’t think about a thing.
2.) I showed up to a recruiting office and managed to score a interview on the spot for a position that they had.
3.) went home and applied for unemployment online, much easier, and less of a pain in the ass.
4.) Cut all costs as the article says.

I scored a job that week, but I put in about 90 hours in that week that I got laid off. Losing your job, turns your new job into looking for a job. If you put your 40 hours in looking for a job you’ll get one.

3 months later. I’m sitting with an extra 20k in my pocket, with full benefits that cost me 35 bucks a month. Score.

And sometimes these can develop into Real Jobs.

Things to ask yourself:
-Who owes you money?
-What assets can you sell? A lot of PF bloggers are into eBay. Me? I liquidated some stock holdings that I couldn’t take with me anyway. It was worth 1.5 mortgage payments.
-When you cut costs, think of how you can consolidate your debts to reduce your minimum monthly payments. Be as tightfisted with your cash as possible. It might mean being able to go an extra week or month without an income.

Along with temp work, try pimping yourself out as a handyman for small tasks in the neighborhood and take cash only. Working under table informally can get you through a pinch. Oh right, SWALLOW YOUR PRIDE. That goes along with the working at a fast food joint advice. Don’t be too proud to do something like housecleaning. Remember that it’s only short-term and not who you are.

This cook eats her own cooking. I worked retail and waited tables during my self-imposed unemployment. I stuck it out till I got an offer for 40% over my previous job. I sweated bullets for 5-6 weeks till I got hired, but I would do it again if I could get another 40% raise! (Ok, I did learn my lesson and start an emergency fund, but even with a fund, I’d still go back to waiting tables and retail. No point in draining the fund if I don’t have to.)

When I was younger and in “Survival Mode” I would collect aluminum cans. Definitely won’t get rich, but I’ll bet you make more than blogging at least initially. Aluminum prices are fairly high – I would always hit grocery story dumpsters and golf courses (at dusk). Tons of beer drinkers on the course – would find 20 cans in the garabage bins per hole. Desperate times call for desperate measures!

I also did these medical study things while I was in college. They were medically supervised trials of drugs, medications, etc. They were very safe and completely controlled and you would make anywhere from $200 to $2000 per study. The company I was involved with was called Harris Labs – of course not all cities have something like this available. Being a guinea pig as a college student was awesome – get paid to study!

This is obvious, but temp work was usually pretty profitable too. Sometimes interesting as well. I always got some pretty fun assignments, ex. being a greeter at a trade show, helping set up computers, etc. Pay was decent and it was good for networking.

I was married at the time, so my husband paid for most of the bills and my employment checks covered a few bills and gas and food.

The good thing I found a better job that paid $12K more than my last job.
Sometimes when you are laid off it’s like you are a free agent !!

Blogging although you won’t make money, especially not in the short term, may help you think through a plan for your life and create a social support network. Both of these are big positives.

For income, I would try go for something a little better than fast food. I enjoyed pizza deliver, if you have access to that. The hours were good, and the pay was 9-15$ an hour. I good part about working a ’service’ job, is that it motivates you keep looking.

-The Happy Rock