Loser Society

With the economy and job market in shambles, layoffs are becoming a common occurrence. If you find yourself waiting in the unemployment line, it may seem like the end of the word. It is not uncommon for laid off workers to get consumed with stress, anger, and depression. How do you avoid these negative emotions? Is it possible to cope with the stress of being laid off from work? Yes.

Know you likely did nothing wrong. One of the first things laid off Americans ask themselves is “what did I do to deserve this?” It is likely you did nothing at all. Layoffs are rarely personal. Businesses all across the country are suffering from the poor economy. To stay afloat financially, they need to cut costs. Unfortunately, hardworking employees are often the first to go. Remember, it is not personal, but economic. If you did something wrong or were a poor performing employee, the company would have fired you, not taken the layoff route.

Get your unemployment taken care of right away. Many states have waiting periods to file for unemployment. Wait that long and no longer. The quicker you get your unemployment benefits up and running, the more comfort you will feel. Yes, you aren’t making as much money as you did working, but at least you will get something.

Think positive. Getting laid off from work is one of the most negative things that can happen to a person, but look at the good side. Yes, there really is one. You are basically getting a clean slate. Did you work construction and think “there is no way my body can handle this for another 20 years?” Take your clean slate and make good decisions. Consider a new career field. Go back to college or take training classes at a local vocational center.

Take up a hobby. Due to unemployment benefits and the poor job market, many unemployed Americans are not actively looking for a new job. There just aren’t as many out there. You should always look for a new job because you never know what you may find. If you keep on hitting roadblocks don’t sit at home and stress about it. Instead, take up a new hobby. Do repairs around your home, start a collection, or whatever else interests you. In fact, consider turning that hobby into a profit. Do you enjoy woodworking? Can you sell your creations on the side for extra money?

Start to exercise. Many mistakenly believe exercise is only for those who want to lose weight or stay in perfect shape. That is not the case. Experts have long said that exercise helps to reduce stress. You were just laid off from your job. Stress consumes you. Release it by taking daily walks or runs. At the very least, you should notice an improvement in your health. However, you should also notice an improvement in your overall outlook on life and wellbeing.

Reduce your expenses. Looking over your monthly budget to trim costs may be stressful itself, but it can do wonders in the end. One of the most common questions Americans ask after receiving a layoff notice is “how can I pay my mortgage?” Your unemployment benefits are likely less than your working paycheck was. You need to cut corners and expenses. You don’t necessarily need to go without. Reduce the cost of your phone, internet, and television by opting for cheaper packages. Limit impulse purchase and use coupons at the grocery store. There are many ways to cut monthly expenses. Familiarize yourself with these steps and implement them immediately. You will feel in control and watch as your financial stress and concerns diminish.

As you can see, there are many ways that you can curb the stress you are feeling due to a layoff. At first, being laid off from your job will seem like the end of the world. This is a normal feeling that all laid off workers experience. Don’t let it consume you though. Take action today and you will feel like a new person with a new outlook on life.

The other day I just happened to watch the comedy movie idiocracy on TV. I was laughing at the beginning part where a typical educated, financially stable, couple kept putting off their reproduction, while other poor, uneducated couples kept reproducing at an alarming rate. As a result, the educated people failed to have kids, while the uneducated people ended up control the country (or the world, for that matter) with their expanding population.

For some reason, that movie made me think of the government’s economic stimulus bill that President Obama just signed into law. Hesitators like me keep putting off buying a home because they know it’s hard to keep up with mortgage payments. I’m not sure if we’re called responsible people or just simply cowards, but one thing I’m sure is that we end up renting forever. On the other hand, those buyers that don’t know about the risk of foreclosure, or don’t even care about it, will end up owning a home under this housing rescue effort.

Of course it’s not fair, such as life, it’s hardly fair! Some people may say “Why don’t you go ahead and buy one now? There’ll be like 8 grands in credit…” Well, sure, but that’s not what I was looking for. I want the prices to go down further, a lot further, because they’ve been too far inflated during the past few years of housing boom. It doesn’t make sense that a 2-working-people family can’t afford a 2-bedroom house. I’m sure all average-pay workers out there agree with me on this. But people kept paying too much for a new home because either they didn’t know the danger of unscrupulous lending practice, or were too optimistic about their financial future, thinking that they can just stop eating to put all earnings on mortgage.

So I kind of hope that with more supply and less demand, home prices will continue to fall to a level that people like me can afford. That’s why the government effort to use tax-payers’ money to rescue those irresponsible buyers doesn’t sound fair to me. I know raising home prices may help other parts of the economy, but beside other problems, it’s just not fair. It’s kind of like you standing in a check-out line at a groceries store. The line is too long, and suddenly the store manager comes out and moves some people behind you to the front, just because they’re blocking the aisle passage! The big question is, why doesn’t he move you instead those behind you? Well, similarly, I believe those buyers who can’t afford to pay mortgage now should have their home foreclosed and go renting. Eventually home prices will be low enough for hard-working people to buy first, and then when those who lost their homes get back on their feet (i.e. working harder, spending less and saving more money), they can start buying again. That would be a fair solution to me.