... And there goes the other shoe!

Its no longer just rumor and conjecture. The Husband has been laid off. We are now operating under worst case scenario conditions. Income is literally at an all time low. I think for my entire adult life actually.

Even with all my planning and scheming February looks like it will have about a $600 budget shortfall. That means money which is spoken for a needed to cover obligations, that we just don't have. I am more than a little freaked out by this to say the least.

Of course, we have various emergency funds to tap. Now would definitely be the time. But, once those are used, there used. We certainly can't rebuild them under these conditions. Accessing that money, especially for regular life expenses, is my last resort. If we do have to use them, I would like to minimize the impact as much as possible.

Now that this is a reality, what are my plans?

Sell, Sell, Sell!
We are currently doing an inventory and purge of all our discretionary items; DVDs, books, video games, clothes. I have listed whats appropriate on Ebay. The rest is going to be peddled around to various used retailers this weekend. I am hoping this can net us a couple hundred bucks.

Cancel everything!
The cable has to go. *sigh* I have been fighting it for too long, but its an awful expensive time suck and one we don't have room in the budget for. We are also not renewing Netflix. Entertainment budget = $0.
The only other questionable expense is the YMCA membership. We both really really enjoy the Y, so this is a last resort. It gives us something productive and cheap to do together on a regular basis. If worst comes to worst, I will have to do it. Then I question, how much worse can it get? Not to jinx myself or anything.

Hustle!
The Husband is a very talented individual. He is making phone calls to various people we know who have been interested in having work done on their house. There are a couple that may work out. I have my fingers crossed. If not, he is considering farming himself out for small projects via Craigslist. We have to be cautious about this kind of work though. We don't know when he could be called back for a real gig.
I am also looking for pet sitting stints. So far, its not working out, but I am keeping my ear to the ground.

Will any of this get us $600? Maybe. Certainly if the Husband can get some sort of gig, it wouldn't take much to make up the difference. If not though... I dont know that my meager possession can make up that big of a chunk.

Oh, how our life has changed. My head is spinning from all this. Every little unanticipated expense makes me absolutely cringe. I've said before, this is not maintainable long term. Right now my goal is to make it through February. I am trying to just focus on only that. I also do not want to be miserable. We are trying to acknowledge the crappy time we are having, without wallowing. Staying positive.