I can probably do this for a year +. My spouse is employed (non Fed), we have good savings, and we’ve survived a long unemployment during covid on just my salary and the nominal VA unemployment benefits that only lasted for 6 months while the unemployment period exceeded that time. We just cut back on pretty much everything and ended up only using a few thousand from savings. And my spouse’s income now is greater than my salary plus the unemployment at that time, so while it’s an extremely austere life style and we would need to pause things like 529 contributions, we can do it. I haven’t done that yet, but will do so before December’s scheduled contributions if this is still ongoing.

Like others, I still believe my work is important and I have to hold onto the hope that this assault on the federal workforce will end, even if that’s not until 2029.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have plenty in savings (45k), but I'm not happy my bank account is hemorrhaging money with routine bills without anything coming in. However, I don't have any other options, and it's not clear even if back pay would be paid if I quit.

$45k? You must have bought your house in the 90s? That’s barely 3 months of expenses. We are in month 2.

Spoken clearly as an out of touch non fed. I’m a GS-15 (ie near top of the pay scale) and after taxes, maxing 401k and all that the other deductions I take home about $3750 a pay period (ie $7500 a month)

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m never leaving. I’d wait them out, even if it takes until 2027.

Yep. Different people will have different answers, but I have no kids, and I can run on spite for a long time.

My work is important. I'm going to keep doing it as long as I can.

👊

Anonymous wrote:Do Feds continue to get their health insurance paid for?

We will pay all missed premiums from our back pay, assuming it’s issued. If not, I’d guess they will divide the owed amount by the number of pay periods remaining in the year like they did for FSA and DCA last time.

I’m a little unclear on if the government is currently paying its portion of our premiums.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I recall that many of the people who survived the GFC pivoted into something different and/or relocated. I’m not sure digging in your heels and staying put in a government job is the way to go right now.

They were actually laid off so they had to take another option — this weird limbo where I have a job but pay is “delayed” is a different beast. And during GFC tech was going gangbusters so was a safe haven; now what do we do, all try to train to be nurses at once?

Do you really have a job if you’re not being paid?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have plenty in savings (45k), but I'm not happy my bank account is hemorrhaging money with routine bills without anything coming in. However, I don't have any other options, and it's not clear even if back pay would be paid if I quit.

$45k? You must have bought your house in the 90s? That’s barely 3 months of expenses. We are in month 2.

We don't take home 15k a month, much less spend that amount, obviously.

Do you live in DMV?

I have a private sector spouse so we can wait this out for a while luckily, but it’ll be tight. We’ll have to pull from emergency funds in a few weeks and definitely are not going to be contributing to investments or savings.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have plenty in savings (45k), but I'm not happy my bank account is hemorrhaging money with routine bills without anything coming in. However, I don't have any other options, and it's not clear even if back pay would be paid if I quit.

$45k? You must have bought your house in the 90s? That’s barely 3 months of expenses. We are in month 2.

We don't take home 15k a month, much less spend that amount, obviously.

Do Feds continue to get their health insurance paid for?

Anonymous wrote:I have plenty in savings (45k), but I'm not happy my bank account is hemorrhaging money with routine bills without anything coming in. However, I don't have any other options, and it's not clear even if back pay would be paid if I quit.

$45k? You must have bought your house in the 90s? That’s barely 3 months of expenses. We are in month 2.

Anonymous wrote:I recall that many of the people who survived the GFC pivoted into something different and/or relocated. I’m not sure digging in your heels and staying put in a government job is the way to go right now.

They were actually laid off so they had to take another option — this weird limbo where I have a job but pay is “delayed” is a different beast. And during GFC tech was going gangbusters so was a safe haven; now what do we do, all try to train to be nurses at once?