What are you doing to make ends meet?

[pegasus]

When I seperated from the Navy in Nov I figured I could swan about until SWA called with a class date. Last month I had to go get me a real job. So I now answer the phone to people who can't make their computers work
$13.57/hr (how do they come up with that?). How the mighty (well, comfortably off) are fallen.
I do keep current in a C172 on every other weekend! Even teaching my 8 yr old daughter to fly.
What are you guys doing to make ends meet? Just curious.

 

[ivauir]

Where can I get some prozac?

I tye died shirts and renewed my unemployment appliation today. Oh yeah, cleaned the toilets, made manwhiches, and ruined some more of the laundry.

 

[RightBettor]

Life of Dilbert...

I went with a temp agency and landed a "yob" working for Sony. I'm doing video programming for a TV network. $18/hr... not too bad, but I am living the life of "Dilbert" in my cubicle. The job pays the bills... but that's all it does for me. It's not very interesting/exciting work. The contract with the TV network ends in a couple weeks, so I'll need to find something else. The temp thing can be a good way to go, but good jobs can also be a needle in the proverbial haystack.

I recently got a CFI job offer at a G/A airport near ONT. It'll be part time for now. Some extra cash and I'll be back to doing what I love.

Hope to be with WN soon, but it looks like that's not going to happen for a while. Bummer.

RightBettor

 

[InHot]

Unemployment

Well, I was furloughed 12 Sep and have been collecting unemployment (for the 1st time in my life) since that time. The recent extension of unemployment benefits will carry me through mid Jun.

Unemployment coupled with my USMC retirement has carried me without having to sell off any assets. I consider myself extremely fortunate in this regard. I know of many people who are suffering financial hardship.

Up until the 20 Feb DB I was spending 6-8 hours a day job searching, emails, phone calls, faxes, searching the web, etc..

Now I'm truly frustrated. Lots of time on my hands. I'm going to look into some type of volunteering locally.

I did have a job offer flying for a national airline starting 28 Jan. I deferred and asked to be reconsidered at a later date. They called back last week with another class date. I declined that and said thank-you, but I would be accepting another offer (SWA).

That was a personal choice and I know there are those out there who'll say I'm crazy. I know the arguments about how quickly your employer will drop you when convienent for the company (I have first hand expereince with that!), however that's just not my style.

I can't start working for someone under false pretenses.

Man's gotta do, what a man's gotta do. Standing on principle is like standing on top of a flag pole, it requires balance and equilibrium... and you have to be willing to accept your fate.

But it sure would be nice to be flying and drawing a paycheck.

Anyway, how many in the pool now? Ouch!

 

[Marker Man]

I too was furloughed early this year. Because furloughed a bit late in the game, the flying jobs in my area (what little there were) were already sucked up by early furloughee's. I was offered a job in the retail industry (mgmt) that would just pay the bills, feed the family and provide benefits...so I had to take it. I too consider myself lucky there, as I have friends that are still looking for anything (with families).

I've just started to get that flying "itch" again...and will probably just take advantage of the local FBO rentals with a few other furloughee buddies so that we can split the rental cost and keep current.

This furlough has been unprecedented as it hit the WHOLE industry so hard and so fast, but hang in there guys/gals...industry/economy signs show definite improvement (AWA, AA, and UAL have already started slow recalls) and this nightmare will be over soon enough!

MM

 

[RJones]

Unemployed

I can feel everyones pain. I was laid off in July 01 and was pleased to get employment with a small airline the following month, however, that didn't last long.

Ever since I've been looking and trying to get back in the air anyway possible. Did the contract pilot thing and I'm still open for it, however, I can tell you first hand that it's hard to find a flying job...unless your willing to sign a contract, not going to do that.

I am fortunate that my wife is employed and earns a nice paycheck, the down side is I feel guilty about not bringing in some money to the cause and I have to do ALL the house work now.

With SWA possibly calling within the next two months I personally feel that I shouldn't except a flying job where the company has to shell out money to get me trained and so on then I blast on them. Now if you tell my wife that she'll scream, "they make no bones about it when they let you go...they aren't concerned about your financial needs why should you be concerned about their's."

She's right and InHot touched a little on that. It's been really tough though. For the first time since I started flying commercially back in 1986 I haven't been able to walk into a flying job with ease...and that small stint with an airline marks you so that doesn't help. I've had to really pound the pavement and go through printer cartridges just to get the little interest I have gotten...and that's very little interest.

So I spend the time going through SWA flash cards and running the flows, then I incorporate that into flying FS-2000, shooting approaches, V-1 cuts, steep turns, and the rest of that kind of stuff...you guys know.

I have a good feeling about the future though. I believe everything is going to turn around and all furloughees will be back at their respective airlines or have found a good flying job to move forward with. I'm very positive about the future and I can't wait to contribute to Southwest and the flying industry.

Hang tough guys and gals!

RJones (jetpltrich)

 

[HPaul3]

Little of this, little of that...

I've had the good fortune of flying with the AFRES, doing essentially the same thing I was doing on active duty last year. Since last summer I've been commuting from my home in the Midwest to my base on the West Coast, using my (furloughed pilot) wife's passes on UAL. (Their decision to extend flight benefits for furloughed employees another three months was huge for me.) I have spent about half my time away at my reserve base, except for last month, when I was away from home between the 20th of Feb to the 19th of March, with a 30-hour "layover" at home on the 4th of March. I have some wonderful friends out there who have put me up in a spare room while I'm in town in exchange for "light housework," and I even went out and bought an old VW for $1200.00 to tool around in while I'm out there.

While the reserve job has definitely put food on the table and allowed us to stay in our house we bought a year ago, it of course carries the possibility of activation, which would dash my SWA hopes if it happens before I show for training. After I get the line number it would not be so critical, so I'm hoping the stars all line up the right way. Activation would also force me to 1) rent out my Midwest house and 2) move the wife and 2.5 kids out west to an apartment for the duration, lest I desire to never, ever see them. I feel for those who are in my situation except for Stop Loss. Somehow the timing worked out for me this time.

I am also signed up for unemployment, and I'm truly amazed at how sh**ty it feels to go to that office. I've had to appear in person at the local office a few times to explain why I was "unavailable" for work (was out at my reserve job), and the people there really have a way with quiet yet profound disrespect. Perhaps they aren't fans of the military in general, but as a 15-year veteran and officer I feel like I shouldn't have to explain why I wasn't beating the door down at the local TGI Friday's while I was out trying to help put away some of these misguided Islamists who intend to destroy the United States. (OK remove chip from shoulder and get back to reality )

I also sold my little sailboat and '99 Suburban LT, which put a little extra cash buffer in the bank for house payments.

Anyway, I've always been interested in cars as a hobby, and I've been handing out resumes at local VW dealerships, hoping to land the Big One--Sales Representative. Quite a whack down from a year ago, huh?

Take care and keep the faith--
HP