just been made redundant

Burlesque_Babe

I've been made redundant twice - in 1999 and then 18 months ago.

It is hard, but there is a whole world out there of options and opportunities for you to take the chance to start again.

I decided to do this and I've re-started my career from the bottom in a completely different field (a par time basic admin post paying £7 an hour). It's been hard, but I'm hopeful that by the Spring, I'll be somewhere back to where I was 18 months ago salary wise because of some training I've done (I was on 28k).

Your initial post sounds more like a bit of blind panic which is understandable. The first time I was made redundant I sat on the train coming back home writing lists of 'what can I do now?' and it felt utterly desparate. However, it wasn't and whilst it probably means a step down the ladder for a while, it certainly doesn't mean that bankruptcy should be top of the pile for you, option wise.

ampersand

Hello craig - read your post by chance, having just returned from a Mr T reductions shop plus my one paper weekly, The Grauniad.
For the little it's worth - our circs do not remotely match, although there were parallels once - may I add my strong empathy and power vibes to you, to blend with the excellent posts of horace and sammy. If I next tell you that your monthly salary is pretty much what I manage on for a year, along with little car, I say this, not as a verbal lash, but just to assure you that it's entirely possible. A different mindset must now take charge. For you and your wife(as for me),the new r!gime came brutally, but living on little, with luxuries and some style, is possible.
I am living proof of this - promise! It is an Art and all the better if you make it part of The Great Game.
When X took his Life, he also took mine, but one survives - I promise you.
Let being here be a liferaft, added to which, note Horace's signature:

Semper in faeces profundum variat

Sammy's takes some beating, too.

craigw007

as far as the job front goes, already registered with the agencies, and since i have worked in the square mile of London (bunch of incestious leeches) they all know each other, with that lot its not what you know but who you know. Just so happens that i know a lot of them.

My CV has already been distributed with some possibilities, so it might not all be doom and gloom.

Got life insurance as its part of the mortgage (to be honest that is all the concerns me)

but at the end of the day its only bricks and mortar.

AMBERSHADOW

Good Luck Craig can't offer any advice to you But do wish you and your family luck for the future

craigw007

i meant to also add that i do feel that i need to eat a slice of humble pie, when i read your feedback. It is sort of a reality check. i do appreciate your help and words of wisdom.

its new territory for us and is a tad terrifying at the prospect.

The only other aspect that this causes is the heartache that it will now almost be impossible for us to try and start a family. Our attempts have had to be assisted i.e. IVF etc (to the tune of 30 grand) over the past 4 years. We did have a little boy but he was tragically taken from us after only 9 weeks. (that was almost more ammunition to keep trying)

this country lives of peoples misery.

slummymummyof3

Hi Craig,
Any chance you could take in a lodger for a while if you have a four bed house and only yourself and OH? I know its not ideal but it may help towards the cashflow for a while.

As far as the IVF, I'm assuming you have already had your not particularly generous NHS assistance?

edinburgher

slummymummyof3 wrote: »

Hi Craig,
Any chance you could take in a lodger for a while if you have a four bed house and only yourself and OH? I know its not ideal but it may help towards the cashflow for a while.

As far as the IVF, I'm assuming you have already had your not particularly generous NHS assistance?

That's a thought - the government will allow you ~£4,250 a year in tax free earnings if you let a room in your house.

Better than a kick in the teeth :money:

*Edit: My figures were correct:

http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/MoneyTaxAndBenefits/Taxes/TaxOnPropertyAndRentalIncome/DG_4017804

That must be equal to £6k or so of your previous salary (as you're a higher rate tax payer).

sammy115

Hi Craig

Me again...taking a break from the books. Have you ever thought about adoption. My sister adopted (she was unable to have children) - best thing she did and you sound like you have a lot of love to give..maybe not something to think about right now, but in the future.....

Wol2

Hi Craig

First of all ...deep sympathy and big hugs...9 years ago my sister bought a little miracle into the world after so many miscarriages we lost count..and then we nearly lost him......twice..so i really so understand your loss, devastation and anger.......

But my post is not about that.......

I went from 100k (company director of own company with all the perks) , made the decision to move out of the industry I was in so started something new and went down to 30k with a 6month unemployed break in between. Three years later (having risen to £50k) I am now back, disallusioned, as self employed with currently £25k p.a..(because unfortunately fortune kicked me in the teeth and my house has been flooded out for a year.... which has seriously interfered with my self employment and cost me a bomb - not everything is reclaimable on the insurance ) Like you I am having to consider the "can I get a job at my previous salary" vs " will I have to take a pay cut and sell my house"..vs "what do I really want and how much do I need to earn to get it" vs "will I sell my soul back into the former industry with everything I disliked about it"

It can be pretty demotivating...especially after you;ve been made redundant and the "industry" closes ranks.

All I can offer is this...I have taken time (which has been very difficult for me) on a reduced salary...and latterly with no salary at all... to "feel my way" and work out what I want. It has taken a couple of years and in 2009 I will start to make decisions about the type of salary/employment/lifestyle I want and am prepared to accept, based upon some serious introspection over the last two years and a few "suck it and sees" that haven't worked out...and a lot of input from this site about curbing expenditure. It IS possible to keep going on a much lower salary to give yourself time to consider...but you DO have to cut down...and there is no better place to pick up great tips than from here at MSE.

So please.....Don;t rush it........no knee jerks...after all, if a family is that important - do you really want a job with a salary that means you might never get to see them? (says she who worked 20 hours a day 7 days a week for 10 years and missed the biological clock and is now 48). Take some breathing space for the pair of you to consider what is really important to both of you...make this into an opportunity...as opposed to a kick in the teeth......and then decide how you're going to achieve a balance between income and the family life you want to achieve...

My heart goes out to you...and I wish you all the best...and if you PM me what industry you;re in then maybe I can put out a few feelers on the job front for you.

Wishing you every success
Much love
Wol2
xx

iwanttobreakfree

My thoughts are with you - it seems like your having such a rough time. Just take comfort in the fact that you and your wife have each other and that is priceless. Take all the great advice on this forum and don't give up hope!

As you can see I'm not exactly one to dish out the advice (currently in it up to my eyeballs!) but I just wanted to offer some encouraging words!