S/O Feds: How many missed paychecks could you sustain?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Not even one months. I am a GA-15 single mother and get no money from my ex. I have one child with profound special needs. That and divorce has drained me to the point where I live paycheck to paycheck, and have not made a 529 or TSP contributor for over a year. If I was really in a bind, I could liquidate some of 529 with a penalty or take a TSP loan, though I don’t know how I would pay it back. However, I am also essential so will not be furloughed, and grateful for that.

Why are you grateful that you won’t be furloughed?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Not even one months. I am a GA-15 single mother and get no money from my ex. I have one child with profound special needs. That and divorce has drained me to the point where I live paycheck to paycheck, and have not made a 529 or TSP contributor for over a year. If I was really in a bind, I could liquidate some of 529 with a penalty or take a TSP loan, though I don’t know how I would pay it back. However, I am also essential so will not be furloughed, and grateful for that.

Do you have automatic deposit with Navy Federal? They had a program that advanced the paycheck during a shutdown before. Zero percent loan. May be available this time.

Why are you grateful that you won’t be furloughed?

[Anonymous]

^ Do you have automatic deposit with Navy Federal? They had a program that advanced the paycheck during a shutdown before. Zero percent loan. May be available this time.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:^ Do you have automatic deposit with Navy Federal? They had a program that advanced the paycheck during a shutdown before. Zero percent loan. May be available this time.

I thought you had to be military/DOD to join?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:^ Do you have automatic deposit with Navy Federal? They had a program that advanced the paycheck during a shutdown before. Zero percent loan. May be available this time.

I thought you had to be military/DOD to join?

DH is civilian navy

[Anonymous]

Years? My spouse was actually unemployed for almost a year during COVID and we got by on my fed salary + unemployment, which frankly was not much and was only available for a time limited period, which we exhausted. We certainly didn’t save any money during that time, but we didn’t go into the red. We spent nothing behind necessities and it sucked. But we did it. So we could do it again. I’d miss my Saturday night take out and bottle of wine, but such is life.

[Anonymous]

I’m a GS15 pay capped employee who would definitely not be exempt (furloughed in all the prior shutdowns). I thought we’d be pretty healthy at about 4 months of savings but apparently that’s below average here! That’s how long we could last just from purely liquid assets. I have a consulting side gig where I bill more hourly than my government job so I could ramp that up and push the 4 months out potentially quite a lot.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Not even one months. I am a GA-15 single mother and get no money from my ex. I have one child with profound special needs. That and divorce has drained me to the point where I live paycheck to paycheck, and have not made a 529 or TSP contributor for over a year. If I was really in a bind, I could liquidate some of 529 with a penalty or take a TSP loan, though I don’t know how I would pay it back. However, I am also essential so will not be furloughed, and grateful for that.

Why are you grateful that you won’t be furloughed?

Yeah I’m a little worried Pp doesn’t realize there is no pay for anyone AFAIK

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I’m a GS15 pay capped employee who would definitely not be exempt (furloughed in all the prior shutdowns). I thought we’d be pretty healthy at about 4 months of savings but apparently that’s below average here! That’s how long we could last just from purely liquid assets. I have a consulting side gig where I bill more hourly than my government job so I could ramp that up and push the 4 months out potentially quite a lot.

You’re not alone PP. We’re about the same. After a few months we’d have to eat unto our retirement savings or consider selling off our investment property but we’d seek new jobs before that.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Not even one months. I am a GA-15 single mother and get no money from my ex. I have one child with profound special needs. That and divorce has drained me to the point where I live paycheck to paycheck, and have not made a 529 or TSP contributor for over a year. If I was really in a bind, I could liquidate some of 529 with a penalty or take a TSP loan, though I don’t know how I would pay it back. However, I am also essential so will not be furloughed, and grateful for that.

Essential means that you still have to work despite not being paid. You will get the money once the budget is approved. There is no money to pay you without it. That’s the entire problem here.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We can go at least 6 months without touching stocks and 401ks but I don’t wNt to have to do this. It is so stupid.

I think if Congress ant do their job then the government should fully shutdown- like stoop social security, stop Congress being paid, stop TSA- stop all of it and then maybe the average voter will start paying attention and get rid of these losers.

+1000

We have enough in cash to go 4 months with no problem or 6 months if we cut way back. We have 2 in college so we have very high expenses right now. After about 4 months, we'd probably be looking to liquidate some investments.

[Anonymous]

The VA checks will keep coming.

Yes, but how much do you think a disabled veteran gets? An 80% disabled vet with two kids gets $2200 per month -- better than $0, but certainly not as much as a second salary and not enough to live on around here. We are working on an application to get DH total disability based on years of him being unable to work, but that takes time (and staff who are not furloughed).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We are better off than in 2018, when we had no savings, I was terrified of losing everything, and we had to borrow money from my dad. But realistically, only a few paychecks. We have savings to go a few more after that but I would start to panic. Federal attorney married to a disabled veteran. This area is expensive and it is tough on one income (plus veteran's disability).

A fed attorney and disability pay is a good income. I don’t get it.

They just don’t budget well.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We are better off than in 2018, when we had no savings, I was terrified of losing everything, and we had to borrow money from my dad. But realistically, only a few paychecks. We have savings to go a few more after that but I would start to panic. Federal attorney married to a disabled veteran. This area is expensive and it is tough on one income (plus veteran's disability).

A fed attorney and disability pay is a good income. I don’t get it.

They just don’t budget well.

You can’t be serious? First, you don’t know if she’s a 15,14, 13, or 12. I started as an attorney in government as a 12 and it took a LONG time to get up to the top of the pay scale.

Housing prices here are very high. We have an 1800 sq foot home built in the 60’s, and our mortgage is $3500 a month with an interest rate near 4% (that’s CHEAP compared to what others are paying). We were lucky to buy over ten years ago. Mortgage would be double today. A GS-15 at the top of the pay scale takes home around 8k a month.

[Anonymous]

You can’t be serious? First, you don’t know if she’s a 15,14, 13, or 12. I started as an attorney in government as a 12 and it took a LONG time to get up to the top of the pay scale.

Also, maybe a veteran who is disabled has a lot of medical expenses? You frankly have no idea. These boards are ridiculous. On the Money & Finance board, everyone talks about how you can't possibly get by in this area on less than $250,000. Here, a federal salary plus disability is "good money"? Do the people making these comments actually live in this area?