Read my lips: How prepared are you if you lose your job?

April 7, 2008 by reyna08
Filed under: Business & Economy, Jobs & Employment 

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It?s the Economy! Stupid!

That?s one great campaign line that propelled Bill Clinton back to the White House. I still remember that line. Very smart. Very intelligent. Very catchy! Indeed, its our US economy stupid that has not been performing very well for the past couple of years, that it is now slowly beginning to hit home. No matter how much spin they (economic and political pundits) put on our US economy, any average citizen of the world would know that these are not the good times. Last week, I learned that my brother was laid off from his job of many years. Yesterday, the crying Miss Pink Biik was also let go. Now, how do you prepare yourself when caught in a situation like this? Iiyak ka ba? Kasi, pagtatawanan lang kita. Bruhita ka! Hmpt!

First thing to do when you lose your job

The very first thing that you need to do when you get that pink slip is be happy! You just earned a very, verrrry long weekend! Hahaha! Calm down. It’s not the end of the world. Collect your unemployment benefits! Now, you have all the time in the world to blog and watch porno. You can even revisit your hobby of pogi watching. And while you’re at it, start crafting some nice application letters and polishing your resume.

The word is prepared

Remember this, while you are still gainfully employed, make it a ridiculous habit to save. Force yourself to save because you never know when the Big Kahuna shows you the exit sign. You don?t prepare for a situation like this a day after you lose your job.

  • 1. If there is an automatic payroll deduction that your company offers, avail it! Stash away a minimum amount every payroll, leave it on your investment account, savings account, money market account or IRA account and let the time and the power of compounding work for you.

  • 2. If your company offers a 401-k with matching benefits, maximize your 401-k contribution and watch your investment grow. You just have to start learning the investment basics to follow and manage your investment account on your 401-k. It?s not hard! Trust me! Can you imagine the matching benefits that your employer is giving you for every dollar you save? It?s free money and it?s such a mortal sin not to take it! Don?t be crazy!

  • 3. Upgrade your skills and update your resume. You can take additional courses to better your trade. If you are in the United States, you can avail of the so many Student Loan Programs to help you get an MBA, a Master?s, a PhD, a programming course, a technical course or any of the vocational courses offered at Community Colleges. Fact is, if your skills continues to be Version 1945, you won?t be able to compete with the current C++ Version 2009 Upgrades.

  • 4. Find other sources of income even while employed. Magbenta ka nang ligaya or go sell balut! Or you can join us make money while panic blogging. I don’t suggest that you find an Australian lover. Nor I suggest that you be my boylet. I am cheap. I only hand out Php300 Smart/Globe load. Besides my heart is already taken. Taken by Maldito, Ely, Bluep, Kotsengkuba, Buraot, Jeff, Oling, Obet, Charlie, Dondon! Dang! That’s why I blog like crazy because their need$$$ are getting pretty expensive! Arrgh!

  • 5. Cut down on your expenses and limit your credit card use! Duh! If you’re smoking 1-pack of really expensive cigarrettes imported from the factories in Canlubang, Laguna, I suggest you start memorizing this line. “Me sigarilyo ka pare? Penge nga!”. If you’re not a nicotine addict and into chewing gum, save those chewing gums after use. Budbudran mo lang nang konting asin and sugar and that should be good to go for another round. Matutung mag-sulsi! Fashionable naman ang tagpi tagpi at punit punit ah!

  • 6. Network. The people that you network with have the inside knowledge of current job openings and they could help you land another job. I poke fun of networking and I call it ?Social Climbing?. Believe you me, even the former Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan agrees with me that there?s a social climber in all of us. But be careful who you social climb with! They might have their own personal self-serving objectives or personal agendas and bring you down! I know one blogger! Kakaibiganin ka, you go to her blog, comment ka taz yayarin ka din lang pala pati na asawa nya! hahaha! Ask Diwa! Hehehe

Not a pleasant experience!

Being let go from work is not a pleasant experience. Mapapasigaw ka nang “mga pokpok kayo!!!” I should know, I was very stupid and dumb enough to believe that there is this shit called job security. Crap! So, when I was let go off my job in Princeton, I was cussing the heck out of my lungs. I didn’t realize that I was actually blaming myself for not preparing for that shitty condition. Hard headed as I am, I have now learned my lesson. My story is plastered in my previous entries.

Now, unless you are a member of the Gucci Gang maybe what I have just said meant nothing to you. How would you know that what I said makes sense? It would make sense once you are in a situation passing by the Exit Sign at your job.

The word is Be Prepared and do it NOW. Wag ka nang mag-intay na mamulaklak nang mangga ang santol. By the way, this entry has got nothing to do with the Boy Scouts of America.



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Comments

40 Comments on Read my lips: How prepared are you if you lose your job?

  1. dakilang bayani on Mon, 7th Apr 2008 12:21 am

    2. huh!! natauhan ako after reading this…isa ako sa may ugaling spend now and save later. Seryoso na yung topic mo ha pero napangiti pa rin ako sa mga adlibs mo..

    dakilang bayani’s last blog post..New Seven Wonders of Nature…vote now!

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  2. pusa on Mon, 7th Apr 2008 12:23 am

    3. ?Me sigarilyo ka pare? Penge nga!? - LOL

    Fashionable naman ang tagpi tagpi at punit punit ah! - korekness!!! hahahahaha

    save save save :)
    pusa’s last blog post..havaianas flipping for the beach

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  3. My Kontera on Mon, 7th Apr 2008 12:37 am

    4. [...] So I decided to test Kontera if this would bring me some reasonable earnings. The first thing that I did was analyze what my readers are looking for in my site and examined what I wrote on March 28th and 29th. Then, I changed the way I write. You will notice it here. [...]

  4. Fitz on Mon, 7th Apr 2008 12:45 am

    5. Madaming nagsasabi na mas secure ang magkaroon ng trabaho kesa mag-negosyo.

    I used to believe that pero I realized that in reality, this is not true because:

    1. Being an employee, your only source of income is your job. But if you own a business, each customer is a source of income.
    2. Being an employee, you get an increase in income only during job appraisals which is once or twice a year. But if you own a business, every day is an opportunity to get customers and increase your sources of income.

    Ayan, stop nako sa dalawa kasi baka maging article na itong comment ko. Wahaha. Hmmm… thanks for this post, may nakuha akong idea for an article in my blog.

    Lastly, I encourage Miss Pink Biik to study her financial situation and try to consider if she can afford to cross quadrants from being employed to being self-employment and hopefully to being a business owner.

    Fitz’s last blog post..On Fire Poi, Facing Fear and Taking Risks

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  5. reynz on Mon, 7th Apr 2008 12:51 am

    6. you’re not alone! hahaha! you have no idea nung dumating ako nang US, isang balde ang department store credit cards ko!

    nga pala i voted na sa 7 wonders! female ako dun, 19 years old, hehehe! choco hills 1st at tubbataha 2nd!

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  6. reynz on Mon, 7th Apr 2008 12:52 am

    7. di ba nga? tagpi tagpi at punit punit lahat nang Ralph Lauren jeans ko! WEEEEEEE!!! hahhaah

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  7. reynz on Mon, 7th Apr 2008 12:56 am

    8. right on mr. fitz! thing is, entrepreneurship is not for everybody and worst, Pinoys were never taught entrepreneuship. i have chinese couzins, they’re so damn good in biz whereas kami sa mother side were taught how to be good employees - servants - kaya eto dakilang alila pa rin ako!

    to those naman wishing to test the waters of entrepreneuship esp if you are needing some capital, employment is a good source of capital to start and i do agree with your 2 lists

    quadrants? hehehe familiar ako dyan! mukhang mayaman tatay pulubi tatay lines yun! hehehe

    si ms pink biik, lumalagok pa nang syoktong and trying to drown her sorrows pa, pinapalipas muna ang init nang ulo hahaha

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  8. dakilang bayani on Mon, 7th Apr 2008 1:33 am

    9. yeyyy..may bomoto na taga PALASYO sana malakas ang impluwensa ng isang reyna sa boung mundo para taob ang kalaban..heheh salamat!

    maiba lang, istoker ka pala ni maldito heheh gusto mong magpalakad?heheh bagong hanap na pinsan ko yun…basahin mo yung link sa isa ko pang blog

    http://islander2007.wordpress.com/2008/03/29/being-hot-life-magazine-cover/

    oi nabangit ko pangalan mo dun sa isa mo pang boylet ha biniro ka kasi..wag magalit hah! hehh

    dakilang bayani’s last blog post..ACCOUNTANT jobs abroad for Philippine resident only

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  9. reynz on Mon, 7th Apr 2008 1:37 am

    10. PINSAN mo rin si maldito?! so, pinsan mo rin si KK? naku ha?! eh nakakapuslit parati yang malditong yan eh! hehehe andami ko nang binayad ki Kotsengkuba na puro downpayment ha? hehehe

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  10. MissPinkBiik on Mon, 7th Apr 2008 1:49 am

    11. sinabi mo pwede bang donatan nyo ako ng lambanog na may flavor… kailangan ko pang mag pakalunod sa alak pero papasok pa din ako bukas… if you have seen Office Space kahit ilang beses nila akong firin papasok pa din ako bwahahahahah mga lintek!
    btw, naiyak naman ako … teka papahiran ko ilong ko

    MissPinkBiik’s last blog post..Culture Shock!!!!

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  11. reynz on Mon, 7th Apr 2008 2:18 am

    12. sa opis namen ang pina-fire ini-escort pa nang sikyo sa gate hahaha! ganun ka bastos samen! parang preso! hahaha

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  12. MissPinkBiik on Mon, 7th Apr 2008 3:02 am

    13. di naman.. ha ha hah. kunin ko gamit ko at iiwan ko yong susi ng joffice… tapus mag wowork out ako tapus iinom ng pina colada sa ruby tuesday tapus iluluto ko ung pata ko dahil gusto daw ng anak ko ng sinigang

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  13. Kotsengkuba on Mon, 7th Apr 2008 4:20 am

    14. miss pink biik, gagawan nalang kita ng logo na pumapalahaw na pink biik ;-) yaan mo nga yang mga employer mo, ipakulam mo nalang kay kengkay. meron syang gayuma book of kulam dati. hahaha. o kaya maglasing ka ng todo todo tapos punta ka sa office nyo at maghurumentado. gayahin mo yung mga nandito, best tool is tubo. hahaha, anyway sundin mo nalang ang mga sinasabi ni reynz at baka lait-laitin ka nyan nang di oras pag di ka naka-move on agad ;-)
    Kotsengkuba’s last blog post..Horrorscope

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  14. kiwipinay on Mon, 7th Apr 2008 10:06 am

    15. i was also in the same situation a couple of years ago. akala ko, katapusan na ng mundo ko. yun pala, mas maraming opportunities pala akong napapalagpas nung andun pa ako sa pinoy employer ko. ang laki pala ng market value ko wala akong kaalam-alam sa nangyayari sa ibang paligid. buti na lang, parang naging blessing in disguise pa ang pagkawalan ko ng trabaho. true enough, the keyword is SAVE.

    o ha? seryoso yan mahal na reyna ha? mwehehehehee…..

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  15. reynz on Mon, 7th Apr 2008 12:53 pm

    16. budburan mo nang pepper yong susi hehehe para ma-atsing nang ma-atsing hahaha

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  16. reynz on Mon, 7th Apr 2008 12:53 pm

    17. mag lalagay daw sya nang donation button sa mga unemployed hehehe

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  17. reynz on Mon, 7th Apr 2008 12:55 pm

    18. hahaha like ko yong sinabi mong mas malaki pa pala ang market value mo! trulala ever!!! eh kasi andun yong comfort zone naten sa old opis at ayaw na nating magtampisaw ever sa ibang katubigan and later on mare-realize naten sana we should have done it a long time ago

    yeap SAVE at wag paloloko sa mga boylets ateng! gaya nung isang balahurang reyna dyan! hehehe

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  18. kengkay on Mon, 7th Apr 2008 2:57 pm

    19. sino me kailangan ng aking mahiwagang libro, ahahaha — naku, ms pink biik - nakikisaya ako dahil sa long weekend mo hehehe. sa totoo lang, tagal ko na ring unemployed ha — pero sa totoo lang, ano maitutulong ko sa yo, dear pinky biiky?

    kengkay’s last blog post..Pangatlong EB photos

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  19. Ely on Mon, 7th Apr 2008 4:43 pm

    20. Seryoso ah. Natakot naman ako, hindi kasi ako marunong mag-save. Last year ko pa pinapramis sa sarili ko na magsesave ako…1 year na, at nag-close na ung bank account ko. LOL

    Ely’s last blog post..Ramiele Malubay

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  20. Enday on Mon, 7th Apr 2008 6:56 pm

    21. ARAY ko Renys bwahahahah… hmpft! For WORD PEACE tigilan nyo na!

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  21. eva on Mon, 7th Apr 2008 9:10 pm

    22. tatandaan ko lahat ng payo mo manay reyna. thanks for the info. hehe

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  22. MissPinkBiik on Mon, 7th Apr 2008 9:13 pm

    23. madami pong salamat… Kotseng kubs paki bilis bilisan para ma ilagay ko sa site for donation purposes bwahahahahah…

    wag kayong mag alala meron pa rin akong pambayad para sa logo contest ko ha ha ha ha

    MissPinkBiik’s last blog post..Open Letter to everyone…

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  23. MissPinkBiik on Mon, 7th Apr 2008 9:14 pm

    24. ako ay mag pupunta sa ciudad bukas… manghihingi ng limos sa kalsada para pan dagdag sa king logo contest ha ha ha ha

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  24. reynz on Mon, 7th Apr 2008 10:37 pm

    25. Ely, sundin mo lang yong pangako mong litrato me allowance ka saken hehehe weekly pa! o ano? deal or no deal? (astang kris akino) hehehe

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  25. reynz on Mon, 7th Apr 2008 10:38 pm

    26. eh sukat naman kasi kayo, makiki social climb kayo dun sa me familiar na award taz uupakan din lang pala kayo! hahaha! ayan! yan ang makuha nang indi nag-iingat makipag social climb! lisson! hahaha

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  26. reynz on Mon, 7th Apr 2008 10:39 pm

    27. great hehehe !

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  27. reynz on Mon, 7th Apr 2008 10:39 pm

    28. ipampremyo mo yong unemployment mo hehehe malaki din yon ah!

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  28. rhada on Tue, 8th Apr 2008 12:01 am

    29. swabe talaga ang mga payo mo mahal na reyna! nakakatawa pero may saysay…kaya naman elibs ako sa yo eh!

    pahirap na ng pahirap ang buhay ng mga utaw sa america…dito din sa banda namin eh daming nadadale ng lay-off crap na yan. yung iba eh halos wala talagang pera sa account nila….hay buhey

    rhada’s last blog post..Sunshine

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  29. Enday on Tue, 8th Apr 2008 1:27 am

    30. hindi ako kasama doon ha!

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  30. SpeakOutYourAFlip on Tue, 8th Apr 2008 2:21 am

    31. Hello Reyna,

    Just wanted to remind you that, while we are employed We could also check financial institutions who gives higher interest rates on savings and open one.

    I’m based in the US and I find that INGdirect have a higher interest rate. (Ok I’m not a representative of ING, but I just wanted to relay message on getting more returns on your savings.) I believe ING lowered their interest rate now… to 3% it used to be 5%. But even though, I think ING is still one of the higher interest rate.

    Just an FYI

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  31. toni/nonblogger on Tue, 8th Apr 2008 2:35 am

    32. totoo lahat ung mga nakalagay jan inang reyna, at malaking tulong ung 1, 2 & 5. sa mga taong hirap magtabi ng pera pinakamagandang solusyon ang forced savings.

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  32. MissPInkBiik on Tue, 8th Apr 2008 2:59 pm

    33. OH MY GOODNESS! I thought I am the only pignacious who loves ING… do you all know that they do not charge you like regular banks on how many times you can use your atm cards, if you overdrawn, all those crap.. I LOVE IT blog ko yan later.

    MissPInkBiik’s last blog post..Open Letter to everyone…

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  33. MissPInkBiik on Tue, 8th Apr 2008 3:00 pm

    34. bakla Rich na naman ako!!!!

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  34. Salve on Wed, 9th Apr 2008 10:04 am

    35. salamat sa mga tips na `to, reyna. dapat naman talaga na hindi ma-depress pag nawalan ng trabaho. there are other opportunities na malamang e mas maganda pa kessa dun sa dati mong work. winner ka dun, di ba, reyna?

    Salve’s last blog post..Avilon, the Second Time Around

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  35. SpeakOutYourAFlip on Thu, 10th Apr 2008 3:02 am

    36. Hello Miss Pink,

    Vonga ka… hindi pa yata kita nakikilala…

    Blog Mo ING para naman malaman ng mga tao about savings that they could get from this financial institution.

    [Reply]

  36. reynz on Fri, 11th Apr 2008 12:30 am

    37. rhada,

    i was out for a few days, puro inom and i had a very nice conversation with another overseas pinoy that i would like to share to everyone. ano pa nga ba. tungkol sa hirap nang buhi sa amerika.

    reynz’s last blog post..Brief or boxers?

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  37. reynz on Fri, 11th Apr 2008 12:34 am

    38. hey flip! i think i’m going to try ING, i opened an HSBC kasi and at that time, ungusan pa kami ni Junsy because he went ING and I went HSBC and at that time? mas mataas po ang HSBC at pede ko pang widtrohin sa Ortigas hehehe

    reynz’s last blog post..Brief or boxers?

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  38. reynz on Fri, 11th Apr 2008 12:35 am

    39. toni, ang qualification lang wag ibigay ang cards sa boylets hehehe

    reynz’s last blog post..Brief or boxers?

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  39. reynz on Fri, 11th Apr 2008 12:37 am

    40. congrats on your smorty! hahaha! lumagpas ka na sana sa $6 kasi that’s not enough to pay for your mortgage! magbenta ka nang baboy ateng! hehehe

    reynz’s last blog post..Brief or boxers?

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  40. reynz on Fri, 11th Apr 2008 12:38 am

    41. Salve?

    Ika tabi so bikolana? Uragon? Tiga sain ka po tabi? Salamat naman ta napadpad ka igdi. Aram mo bang igwa akong bikol blogs? Idagdag ta ka duman!

    reynz’s last blog post..Brief or boxers?

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