Well paid government employees who can't afford a one or two week shutdown

[Anonymous]

I can do this for a very long time without dipping into retirement because my house is paid off. We can live a very minimal life for a very long time.

[Anonymous]

180k earner, not counting my wife’s earnings

I have a 35k emergency fund, enough to sustain me for 6 months roughly. And that’s before selling stock from my non-retirement brokerage account (roughly 200k)

Furlough me as long as yall want

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:People without adequate emergency funds simply spend too much relative to their incomes. Failing to constrain spending to an appropriate level is the problem. No matter how little you make, you have to spend less than that on housing, cars, vacations, kids' activities, recreation, etc. It's not complicated, but it requires discipline. And for those who argue they have uninsured medical expenses which excuse a lack of savings, no that is no excuse - you, too, can spend less on housing, on cars, etc. You may want a shorter commute, or a nicer place to live, or a nicer car, or a vacation, but you can only afford what your income allows relative to your expenses. Failing to save for your future and for emergencies is simply a choice, not something imposed on you by a cruel world.

Feel better? Hope you or your family don't get cancer and lose your health insurance.

You don't have to lose health insurance, but it may be expensive if it's no longer partially subsidized by an employer. That means you spend money on health insurance instead of on other things. Prioritizing other expenses over health insurance is a choice. Not taking a job which offers medical insurance because you'd prefer a different job is a choice.

Bad luck will find you someday.

What most people call luck is usually the result of their choices. Take risks, like by not saving for emergencies because you'd rather spend your money now on other things, and bad consequences can sometimes follow. That's not "bad luck", but bad financial planning driven by self-indulgence instead of self-discipline.

It's a choice until it isn't.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:180k earner, not counting my wife’s earnings

I have a 35k emergency fund, enough to sustain me for 6 months roughly. And that’s before selling stock from my non-retirement brokerage account (roughly 200k)

Furlough me as long as yall want

How do you know you won't lose your job permanently?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:180k earner, not counting my wife’s earnings

I have a 35k emergency fund, enough to sustain me for 6 months roughly. And that’s before selling stock from my non-retirement brokerage account (roughly 200k)

Furlough me as long as yall want

How do you know you won't lose your job permanently?

My agency is MAGA-coded, unlike EPA or the like. It’s all vibes based so I don’t have a rational answer

[Anonymous]

I'm a minimum wage worker who retired very early. I didn't even set out to do it. Money just piled up. I do have awesome money skills though.
My 18- year old is making minimum wage right now. I can get him to financial freedom by 30 even on that salary. That's actually what I'm working on now.
See, someone is asking about losing a job permanently. I have three employers calling me monthly. This time they are willing to pay way more than minimum. I created the need for me.
My backup plans have backup plans. You can call it luck. I call it careful planning.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I can do this for a very long time without dipping into retirement because my house is paid off. We can live a very minimal life for a very long time.

Same here. I am GS12 and work in the hospital, so I am an essential employee who has to come to work. I don't spend like the rest of society, no restaurants/fancy vacations, clothes. Our house is paid off. We have one child in an elementary school. Our cars are 10 years old. I maximize my TSP and put money in the brokerage account. I could survive without paycheck for a couple of years if we would continue to live simply and not have any emergencies ( like health crisis/house repairs).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:180k earner, not counting my wife’s earnings

I have a 35k emergency fund, enough to sustain me for 6 months roughly. And that’s before selling stock from my non-retirement brokerage account (roughly 200k)

Furlough me as long as yall want

How do you know you won't lose your job permanently?

We don't. Since, as the pp pointed out, it all seems to be vibes based at this point - so who knows.

[Anonymous]

Okay, all the FIRE folks who apparently are working in the government just for the fun of it (in GS12 roles, no less) need to stand down.

[Anonymous]

We could last a while on my salary alone. Maybe six months? Maybe more? Without touching retirement. I would really prefer not to though.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Okay, all the FIRE folks who apparently are working in the government just for the fun of it (in GS12 roles, no less) need to stand down.

Np I feel like this is most Feds. Feds are by the nature of the job, cautious people who are savers. Could have gotten higher paying jobs elsewhere but wanted the stability of Fed life. My coworkers all drive 5-15 year old cars, take few vacations and max out their retirements. Most don’t have massive student loans because they went to public schools.

Gs 12s still make 6 figures. No reason for them to not have ample savings.

People really need to stop living beyond their means.

[Anonymous]

DH and I got laid off within 2 weeks of each other in August. Our cash savings can comfortably cover 6 months, or cover 10 months by trimming all excess. I knew the clock was ticking on my job starting in January so I’ve made it a point to get the cash savings up and make good choices between brokerage and Roth. The fact so many Feds are shocked by this shut down and didn’t spend from November to present preparing, is baffling.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:DH and I got laid off within 2 weeks of each other in August. Our cash savings can comfortably cover 6 months, or cover 10 months by trimming all excess. I knew the clock was ticking on my job starting in January so I’ve made it a point to get the cash savings up and make good choices between brokerage and Roth. The fact so many Feds are shocked by this shut down and didn’t spend from November to present preparing, is baffling.

Why do you think we aren’t as prepared as we can be? Are we not allowed to have feelings about having our lives turned upside down because of politics? Also, we are grieving the loss of life-long careers in public service that actually meant something once upon a time. I’m sure you can’t relate to the feeling.

[Anonymous]

The last shutdown occurred while I was 9 months pregnant. So there were a lot of unexpected bills and expenses around that time because i unexpectedly developed pre-eclampsia. Spouse and I were both feds and it was a bit stressful. We couple checked to make sure the shutdown wouldn't impact health insurance because that would have been a complete nightmare.

We were okay, but it was very stressful.

[Anonymous]

We can go without pay for a while, assuming we get backpay. If we don’t get backpay, and this stretches on for months, that would be devastating for my family.

The uncertainty is difficult to plan around but some of us don’t have many options given the current job market and our stage of life. Which is the point of course, they just want empty seats and are driving everyone else out.

Those of us who stay will be burnt to a crisp but I tell myself I’m doing it for my kid’s future. I can’t just run away with nothing and start over right now.