Is being sacked the end of the world?

Brallaqueen

I'm not being sacked, just FYI. But I occasionally have panic attacks thinking that I will be. They've gotten a bit worse since I bought my flat (more to worry about I guess) and while I can cope with them, it would be useful to have reassurance and a sort of 'action plan' in place for the next bout.

Can anyone help allay my irrational fears?

jdturk

Brallaqueen wrote: »

I'm not being sacked, just FYI. But I occasionally have panic attacks thinking that I will be. They've gotten a bit worse since I bought my flat (more to worry about I guess) and while I can cope with them, it would be useful to have reassurance and a sort of 'action plan' in place for the next bout.

Can anyone help allay my irrational fears?

Reassurance actually would make things worse for you because it would only give your fears more power. You have no control over your fears so just relabel them as irrational thoughts, not something you have a control over and only something you can sort out when it happens.

It however doesn't mean you don't have to be practical and try and create a pot of money (approx 3 months of your salary) for if times become bad

BERFFRO

I think you're taking the right steps with your "Emergency savings" try not to think about stuff that might never happen and concentrate on making sure they never do!!

I was dismissed back in january this year, It is a horrible situation for the first couple of days then it's just a matter of getting on with it.

mickeypops

It's happened to me twice, once at the end of the 80s and again at the end of the nineties - and it's horrible. You quickly start to doubt your ability to land another job at all, never mind one at the same level or occupation.

Both times though, things worked out well in the end and on both occasions I wound up, after a year or two, better off than I would have been if it had never happened! You often hear people say, in the long run "It's the best thing that ever happened to me" and there can indeed be truth in that.

Keep your spirits up and don't dwell on "maybes" - there's no point.

nearlyrich

I was discussing this with a friend last night, she is worried that the company she is working for has made a couple of people redundant and even though it's unlikely she is worrying she might be next. My advice to her was you can never say you have a job for life these days and always have a plan that can be called upon in an emergency.

Step one is to have a budget in place with savings as a part of that budget, even if it's only a few quid a month an emergency fund is a must.

Know which things on your budget are essentials, keeping a roof over your head, food and utilities are essential, paying bills such as council tax and water rates are essentials, things like Sky TV, running a car, going on holiday all nice to have but not essential. Have enough in the emergency fund to get through 3 to 6 months of frugal living with any benefits taken into account.

Keep your CV up to date and look at job sites regularly, know what is out there and what you need to do to get a new job.

Think about what else you can do, what else you want to do perhaps?

It sounds easy, I know it's not I will be out of work in a few weeks myself but I have taken my own advice and I am looking at my alternatives before things get desperate financially.

I think one of the worst things is thinking you have nothing to offer especially if your jobsearch is proving fruitless, I am treating this as an opportunity to do what I want to do after a long period of workng hard in tough industry.

getmore4less

It's healthy to be concerned because now you can do something about it.

It the ones that don't care, in loads of bebt and no emergency funds that have an issue they are unaware of.

Good advice so far.

It takes time,

Knowing your min spends and aiming to reduce those.
Getting rid of debt and building up a disaster fund to cover the min spends.
The more months you have in the fund the more comfortable you become.

Eventualy you have enough to never care.

Brallaqueen

Thanks everyone, you've been really helpful and supportive.
I've always had a ...strange attitude to jobs. When I was younger I was convinced that the reason so many people were on benefits was because they'd been sacked and no-one would ever employ them again.

Now, I know better, but I guess I still have that fear that if I'm sacked *that's it* no more job ever...which is what scares me more than actually being sacked.

Notebook

Brallaqueen wrote: »

I'm not being sacked, just FYI. But I occasionally have panic attacks thinking that I will be. They've gotten a bit worse since I bought my flat (more to worry about I guess) and while I can cope with them, it would be useful to have reassurance and a sort of 'action plan' in place for the next bout.

Can anyone help allay my irrational fears?

I handed in my notice years ago - forced - and got a job no problem.

Inspiration from clive james book - falling towards england or unreliable memoirs (something like that) he had a presentation to prepare for his boss (1960's) and thought he knew better - worked on it for months - night before realised none of his figures made sense, so did a runner !!!!!!
even great minds mess up!!!
I wonder what happened to him? :rotfl:

scooby088

Dont want to put a downer on this but my mind set when i was threatened with the sack is theres plenty of room on the dole, maybe a good mindset to have it works for me.

nearlyrich

scooby088 wrote: »

Dont want to put a downer on this but my mind set when i was threatened with the sack is theres plenty of room on the dole, maybe a good mindset to have it works for me.

Unfortunately the "dole" will only offer £65 a week(ish) for 26 weeks and I am used to a lot more than that so I am looking for a job or doing something for myself. The rainy day fund will come in handy but it is still a bit scary :eek:

scooby088

I have had periods of unemployment and you do get used to budgeting, but you actually cant beat the feeling you get from working and earning a wage.