Originally Posted by
crewjuice
I have to admit, I’ve been reading these posts for a while, but have never commented on anything. My husband is a 737 FO in ORD. Around 4,000 seniority. I was hoping for the best, but after the displacement announcement today, I just opened up a bottle of wine and cried. We have two kids to think of, and I’m currently a SAHM. I have a RN license but haven’t worked in 4 years, so I’m a bit rusty, but at least we have that to fall back on. We have about a year’s worth of living expenses in savings, but I’m worried that won’t be enough to get us by for the duration of the furlough, and I really don’t want to deplete our savings account. I’m already talking to my husband about selling the house and downsizing, pulling our kids out of sports, etc., but he says I’m overreacting, and he doesn’t want to traumatize our kids. He doesn’t think all of these furloughs will happen at once. I’m praying for all of you, and I hope we all make it through this horrific time. Stay healthy and safe.
Nothing is as bleak as it looks initially, and rarely as good as it appears at first. As a furlough survivor (along with many many others) use this time to prepare for a possible change of job for a bit. It is always a great idea to consider other career options. A capable pilot should be able to find a job locally. I had friends who just barely held on (and missed furloughs in 2001) and their experience wasn't quite what they wanted/expected for a few years. Quite honestly, being furloughed quickly back then helped me come to terms with the situation and prepare a plan B. I was actually home more, made comparable money after my contemporaries took payouts and downgrades, and was home a whole lot more than those who bounced around the bottom of the list.
My wife was a SAHM and we made do, in fact, it helped us set up a long term plan that would have worked without ever returning. Keep positive, focus on what you can do and try not to worry about stuff that is largely out of your control.