Financial resources for furloughed feds

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:After this is over, I am switching all of our banking to Navy Federal, plus curtailing spending until we have a robust emergency fund. I am never going to feel this kind of panic again. NEVER.

In the past week I have:
- Sold my grandmother's silver on eBay
- Considered selling my engagement and wedding rings
- Collected scrap metal and plan to take it to the scrap yard
- Strongly considered whether I would be worth more dead to my family, and Googled whether FEGLI covers suicide and operates down a shutdown (yes after two years, and yes). I would never do it because I have no relatives to take care of my kids, but the thought was alarming.

Politicians have NO IDEA the kind of stress this put on working families. NONE. I wish they would stop with the brinksmanship and alarmist rhetoric.

Navy Fed is terrible. We pulled all of our money out after they finally let us (they tried to block it and it was a huge mess).

[Anonymous]

If you are a fed lawyer or someone making 6 figures, there is no excuse you don't have at least $20-40K put away, especially if you are a two fed family. I have empathy for low level feds and contractors and support workers who will actually go without pay but for some living a grand lifestyle and overspending because they think the fed salary is stable is no excuse.

[Anonymous]

Also, try pet sitting, pet walking, and baby sitting.

[Anonymous]

Serious question here - why are people selling off things and losing their homes (news story on tonight) when we haven’t even missed a paycheck yet?

[Anonymous]

Probably because the President is threatening to keep the government closed for the rest of the year.

And I'm sorry, OVERSPENDING? Have you checked how much things cost now? A starter house with a long commute is $500K. Our "good" health insurance is expensive and covers less and less. People have student loans, mortgages, chronic health issues requiring expensive prescriptions. Surely you understand that most people in this country are just barely getting by and are living paycheck to paycheck. Or are you really that insulated in your entitled little bubble?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What does the rest of the world do when they don’t get a pay check, get a job, sell stuff make ends meet however you need to.

As a federal employee, it's damn difficult to "just get another job while in furlough." You have to get a job that doesn't conflict with official duties, AND generally, to do so, you have to get prior permission, which is red tape and paperwork done by people who may not even be there right now. Further, since we could go back tomorrow, who hires that person? Don't know if you didn't know that or are being purposefully ignorant.

And it’s not like you’re immediately paid your first week of a new job. It’s been a long time since I started a new position, but I recall having to wait 3 weeks for my first paycheck if I started in the middle of a pay period, or because it took time to get “in the system.”

Getting paid in 3 weeks is better than waiting to get paid in 6, 8, 10, weeks.

What is the worst thing that can happen you end up with a few extra dollars?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote: And I'm sorry, OVERSPENDING? Have you checked how much things cost now? A starter house with a long commute is $500K.

Not true. You can find starter homes for much less if you’re willing to get a townhome and live in something small.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If you are a fed lawyer or someone making 6 figures, there is no excuse you don't have at least $20-40K put away, especially if you are a two fed family. I have empathy for low level feds and contractors and support workers who will actually go without pay but for some living a grand lifestyle and overspending because they think the fed salary is stable is no excuse.

Exactly what percentage of feds do you think are lawyers or making six figures (GS-13 and above)? Just curious.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If you are a fed lawyer or someone making 6 figures, there is no excuse you don't have at least $20-40K put away, especially if you are a two fed family. I have empathy for low level feds and contractors and support workers who will actually go without pay but for some living a grand lifestyle and overspending because they think the fed salary is stable is no excuse.

Exactly what percentage of feds do you think are lawyers or making six figures (GS-13 and above)? Just curious.

It is roughly 30% at gs 13 and above. Around 35% at gs 1-9 and just over 30% at gs 10.11 and 12.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Serious question here - why are people selling off things and losing their homes (news story on tonight) when we haven’t even missed a paycheck yet?

Serious answer: they’re being proactive. Because all indications are that this shutdown is going to last a VERY long time.

[Anonymous]

All of us who have been through previous shutdowns know that this one feels different. Previous ones were an annoyance, but I did not have the complete sense of panic I have with this one -- I trusted that someone was willing to be a grown up and act in the interest of the country. I don't have that faith here. I really think this has the potential to go sideways.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:All of us who have been through previous shutdowns know that this one feels different. Previous ones were an annoyance, but I did not have the complete sense of panic I have with this one -- I trusted that someone was willing to be a grown up and act in the interest of the country. I don't have that faith here. I really think this has the potential to go sideways.

+1

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:All of us who have been through previous shutdowns know that this one feels different. Previous ones were an annoyance, but I did not have the complete sense of panic I have with this one -- I trusted that someone was willing to be a grown up and act in the interest of the country. I don't have that faith here. I really think this has the potential to go sideways.

Panic? Why? Do you think the govt never reopens?

[Anonymous]

Agreed that it doesn’t have to be this difficult. Give the President his money Madame Speaker, and we can all move on with life!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Serious question here - why are people selling off things and losing their homes (news story on tonight) when we haven’t even missed a paycheck yet?

Serious answer: they’re being proactive. Because all indications are that this shutdown is going to last a VERY long time.

It might. But it might also end in a couple of days. Seems odd to be selling things yet and no one is losing homes. That process takes a long time even once checks are missed. There are real consequences, but CNN and others are also overplaying things at this point.