Yes, I am furloughed.

I am worried about the lack of meat and seafood inspections, WIC, Head Start, etc, even though the last two don't affect me.

The muted reactions are two-fold. 1) During the recession, when everywhere else in the country was in dire straits, DC was booming. There is little room for pity for DC losing a couple weeks worth of salary when their situations were much, much worse for years.

2) Except for a few areas of the country with a large number of feds (talking like CDC in Atlanta, big IRS centers, etc), DC might as well be a foreign country. Yes they read the headlines but what goes on here is so distant.

So I don't blame the kind of "meh" reaction. We here are all unique vested in it, others are not.

Yes, federal contractor. Since the shut down started, I have taken some paid admin time (allowed by the company), and am now taking paid vacation time (forced by the company). I will have to make up the admin hours once I get back to work. I consider myself lucky, but it is really aggravating.

Contractors have it worse because those who are on furlough will not be paid later like the feds will.

Anonymous wrote:Has the sequestration made double Fed families think about diversifying job-wise, like you might do with your investments?

Yes. DH and I are both furloughed. DH had been looking casually in the private sector for a couple months (he has been in and out of government over the years), but he has been spending significant time looking for a new job since the shutdown. It's just too dangerous for our entire household income to be tied to political whims.

Anonymous wrote:Its harder to hear that Congressmen and women's checks will be sent on time

Is this true?!

DH is essential so he's working everyday like normal but I worry when we'll be getting regular paybacks. Daughter has therapy that costs $2700/month out of pocket. I've estimated our savings at 6 months. We're doing our best to not spend extra money and putting off home improvement projects. It did though we're not furloughed, by we're not complaining mich because it could be a lot worse.

Anonymous wrote:Yes and yes. Furloughed during sequestration, furloughed now, subject to all the pay freezes.

+1

Buying bananas 2 at a time ~

Yes, double Feds. It hasn't impacted you OP because it hasn't been long enough for you to see it.

Has the sequestration made double Fed families think about diversifying job-wise, like you might do with your investments?

yes, it's been incredibly pleasing getting a seat at my favorite restaurants...

Its harder to hear that Congressmen and women's checks will be sent on time

I have found some websites not accessible for doing research and can see Glen Echo Park closed nearby. But day to day that's all I notice just yet. My husband goes to work every day as usual - but we are soon going to see that he doesn't get paid! Being excepted sucks too. It would be nice for him to be able to take time off since no one else is around to work with him. Once everyone is back and it's busy, he won't be able to take time off. Yes, I know he'll be paid eventually, but it's still hard to hear how others who will also get paid are doing some home projects etc. I'm a little jealous!

Laid off from contractor due to the sequester. I grew up in the rust belt so I don't think it so unusual to have a period of extended unemployment and to be financially stressed for most of my life.

Yes, double Feds here. Doing our best to not spend any money, and canceled our scheduled house-cleaning for the month.