Previously I disagreed with some common advice for people who have lost their job. I want to add another familiar piece of advice to the list that you should throw in the garbage. Do NOT follow the advice to ‘treat looking for a job as a full-time job.’ Here’s why: 1) Looking for a job is emotionally bruising. You give yourself a pep-talk, research a company or position, get psyched about getting the job so that you can convey genuine…
When I decided to quit my job in October 2016, I knew I had some tough times ahead. I knew I’d have to hustle to pay my rent, my bills and my student loans. I knew I had to throw out my current budget, create a much leaner one and preserve the little bit of cash reserves I had on hand. BUT… the hopelessness of watching your savings account dwindle isn’t the worst part of being unemployed. I wasn’t prepared…
I was 17 years old when my son was born. I was also broke, jobless and had a little man relying on me. To be fair, I was just a child, but very quickly realized I was getting nowhere fast. Daycare was too expensive, so working was out of the question. The only option left for me was college, but that was an expense I could not afford. So I found a different way. I received ALL of my schooling…
As a kid, I was taught a lot of things. For example, to entertain myself, respect my elders, and not to drop ping pong balls on Grandpa’s head from the loft (which is another story for another day). I also picked up on a lesson that I think too many of us learn – the art of politely saying no when someone offers you something. After all, you don’t want to be a bother and should be able to take…
I have always considered myself a lucky man and when my wife delivered a set of triplets in January 2011 through a Caesarian section, my joy knew no bound and I truly believed I was the luckiest man alive. The birth of the triplets brought much publicity, lots of goodwill and considerable strain on my finances. The hospital bills alone cost me about a $1000. Though I didn’t have any issue coming up with that money, the money required to…
I’ve been unemployed for the entire duration of my marriage. If that sounds harsh, it’s even harsher to write it down. These past six months have been long, longer than I care to remember. Some days my spirits were up, while other days they’d seemed to have disappeared completely. But no matter how ashamed I’ve felt, how hopeless or frustrated, there hasn’t been a time that I’ve let it get in the way of my marriage. My wife makes all…