Your Plan B: The Unemploymentality audience responds

Last week we posted a few pieces about the Plan B – what people are going to do if they can’t find a job before their unemployment checks stop coming.  We received quite a few responses from people all over the country and I thought it would be appropriate to pull some of their comments out and post them for everyone to read:

“IM MOVING OUT !  And im serious , IM OUT OF THE USA for good ! this land is no longer the land of the free or the just, this is no longer the land of opportunity nor the land of the American dream…my family is going to suffer in some other country where at least i dont get hit by 30% taxes of my income (not if i get no benefits back) on top of a hugely high cost of living, i dont even get to see or play with my daughter nor i cant even spend a good afternoon with my wife, not even mention that if i get sick then its really going to get pretty bad… so sad, real Americans would have overthrown the government long ago…”

– someguy

“I live with the ‘rents.   Trust me if you can avoid it then avoid it at ALL costs! Parents are CRAZY…. Doesn’t it seem bizarre your life could get flipped upside down quicker than Will from the Fresh Prince of Bel Air?”

– Antoinette

“I was laid off in November, I actually have another job now but in that time period I was thinking if I run out of unemployment checks I would go to my parent’s ranch in Wyoming, quit the media business and run away for a while until this all blows over. That or become a phone sex operator [as per your Craigslist job post]. Or both.”

– Wonder Woman

“I honestly have no plans at all.  I’m totally clueless.  The Hubby can’t find a job, and I have kids which I share with a crazy ex, so moving away is out of the question for us…I’m starting to think I’m going to have to learn how to ask others if they want to supersize their order – something I have never wanted to do in my life. Just thinking of the germs in that environment really gives me the willies…”

–Aisy

“Plan A: put out resumes the old way and network. (pray my ass off).  Plan B: Look at jobs in my field that I would not normally do (one’s with tons of travel or temp out of state jobs) (pray my ass off).  Plan C: Work 2 jobs to survive. “Would you like fries with that?”(pray my ass off).  Plan D: Go around the neighborhood on trash pick up day and collect junk and sell of ebay! (One man’s junk is another mans treasure).”

– Maurice

“Plan G: Lose 50 lbs. and try to break into porn. Hey, if more and more professional women are turning to erotic dancing to pay the bills, where can us guys get in on some of that action?”

– Big Daddy Cool

“Contenders for Plan B:
—Hope I can file for an extension.
—String together a bunch of part time jobs if I can’t.
—Continue writing my blog (betweenjobstheblog.blogspot.com) and trying to get my book published.
—I liked the “move to somewhere remote and hide out for a while” Plan Bs, and so another option is to become like the “My Side of the Mountain” guy and do just that. Or more recently, the “Into the Wild” guy (only without the dying at the end…)  I’m also seriously contemplating a video resume.”

– Pam B

“I’ve already gone through my benefits, the 1st extension and now I’m receiving the 2nd extension. I did receive a notice in the mail regarding the 3rd extension (hopefully I will be able to get it). If I don’t get the 3rd extension I have no clue what I will do. I guess my cat and I will be living out of my car since I won’t be able to afford living in my apartment or even the utilities. I have already sent out over 1,000 resumes since April 2008 with no success. I have even lowered my hourly rate to the lowest that I can afford and still no luck. I really feel sorry for the individuals who loose their jobs when they have families to take care of. At least I only have my cat and myself to care for. Good luck everyone in finding employment.”

– Norman Henson

I have no clue what I will do when my benefits run out. I may try caring for kids in my home, or cleaning houses, maybe I need to pray more.  I am trying not to think too far ahead so that I don’t become overwhelmed. Just one day at a time.

– Monciana

I am plan B. Both of my daughters can move back home with me. Their boyfriends can come, too. They just have to sleep in separate rooms. I’m a cool mom, but I’m not that cool.

– Mother Jones RN

My plan B – purse snatching, petty crime, drug importation, start a ponzi scheme, start a cult where people worship me and give me all their money… I’ve got all kinds of ideas!

– Jojo99

“I am still employed, but just yesterday, my coworker came up to me and revealed that my boss is thinking of letting me go. I am not supposed to know this, obviously, but now that I do, I can’t pretend that I don’t know about. This is the second job that I have had in the past year, and this will be the third time that I have to go through the job searching process. Truthfully, I am out of energy. My life recently seems to be a roller coaster pattern of job hunting, employment, job hunting, employment, and job hunting again.”

– Stefanie

“I’ve been out of work here in Omaha for almost 6 months. My wife has been unemployed for 5 months. I am about to start the 20 week extension of benefits. For the last year, I’ve volunteered with a ministry that helps state prisoners who are in Work Release. I also help with worship services in the Omaha Correctional Center, a minimum security state prison. As I face the very real possibility of losing all my possessions through bankruptcy or foreclosure, I have to admit that I’ve sometimes fantasized about committing some sort of non-violent crime which would earn me 3 square meals a day and a roof over my head. OCC would me more appealing than living under a highway underpass someplace…”

– Mike Brenner

Thanks to all who responded and please do keep them coming.  Later this week I’ll continue along this theme with several reports from my own, personal Plan B – moving home to New York state where I would live with my family.