[USER]

Can I please get some reassurance from others who’ve been in a similar situation?
After struggling through a PhD, my husband finally graduated and landed a job with a leading tech giant.

We had previously lived on a really tight budget until my business started to pick up.

And even then, we rarely ate out, didn’t buy any non-essential groceries, didn’t spend on entertainment, rarely bought things that weren’t thrifted.

We managed to create a decent EF and make some other investments too.

After just 2 months at his new job he was laid off yesterday. It really feels like we’ve slid so quickly.

And this time we’re in a HCOL and paying off a car loan.

We were just talking last week about how we’re just starting to get used to having a bit more spending money and feeling like we’ve earned it.

We’re both shattered. We know he will find other employment but it’s so disheartening to feel this way after 2 months of stability.

Financially, we will be okay because he has 13 more weeks of pay.

We’re going to go back to cutting all extra expenses and save as much of that as we can.

Can I please get some reassurance that things will look up soon?

It’s our anniversary this month and with holiday season around the corner we were planning on gifting each other more extravagant gifts for the first time in 5 years, which we obviously are not doing anymore.

I know it’s a small thing to fixate on but it just hurts.

[Santanu]

It really really sucks! But your husband is qualified with a PhD in tech – and his profile has been hired at least once so there’s demand for it.

You will prevail – don’t worry, but also don’t stop trying to land the next job

[Scott]

That’s tough. I wouldn’t even bother putting it on his resume. He just has to get back out there. Moving forward it’s important to remember.

All companies have a 90 day probationary period where either the employee or the employer can say no thanks with no legal obligations such as unemployment etc.

so, the next time he lands that job, which he will.

Wait a bit before you start enjoying the new income.

[Christina]

Hard to say what the job prospect is for the field that your husband is in. But don’t let the layoff beat you down for his accomplishment of earning a doctorate degree and what you contributed as a spouse.

My husband spent 8 years in a MD/PhD program and he said the PhD part was 1000 times more difficult than medical school.

We stayed on his residency budget for 5 years post grad to jumpstart FIRE and we survived just fine without spending extravagantly.

I’d apply for unemployment right away, get back on budget and not wait until 13 weeks to start looking for jobs, any jobs.

Hang in there!

[Tom]

Tough to stumble right out of the gate. It has only been a couple of months. Just go back to the tight budget for a while.

Your husband might get hired again quickly.

These are times the EF is useful.

Push the gift giving out for a while. Don’t think on what might have been, and concentrate on what is.

Head down, stay the course.

[Jungwoo]

What kind of total comp expectations do u guys have for his next job? Are we talking 200K?

500K? Obviously much easier to work with former than the latter and therefore the level of worrying will change as well.

[Kevin]

Last hired, first fired… Cut expenses and find a new job ASAP. Onward and upward.

[Tianna]

I truly believe that things happen for a reason. Life will be better in a moment. You did great up to this point so enjoy what you have… each other….

make a (night out)at home.

Take a walk in this fall weather. It will be fine

[Author]

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