I’ve been out of work for almost 3 months and my funds are just about depleted. Basically by the time I get groceries next week, I’ll be tapped out. I’m lucky that I don’t have to worry about rent or a car payment (good thing I waited on both those counts), but I do have other bills and I was the person who covered the groceries for myself and for mom. I also covered the water deliveries (we are not connected to city water or a well, and our water is trucked in and kept in a giant tank each month). So things are not ideal, but they could be much worse.

Because of the situation with my last job, I’m not eligible for unemployment, and my mom is resistant to sign up for food benefits. I’ve been doing my best to stock up on some non-perishable food items to get us by for a while, and I’m hopeful my brother and sister-in-law will help my mom out with her perishable needs and the water delivery. So she should be fine. I’m not worried about her at all. And I’ve struggled before, so I’ll get by.

As for everything other than food, my phone and streaming services are paid through the next month. I might be able to swing another month of everything after that, depending on how much I spend on the last grocery trip. After that, I’ll be reading more and watching DVDs. I’ll still have WiFi access, so I’ll be able to get email and use messaging apps, I just won’t be able to call or text. It will make things a little more complicated on the job search front, but I can always use my mom’s or brother’s phone number for applications.

The situation is far from perfect, especially with all of my mental health issues right now which are seriously impacting my job hunt. But, it is also no where near as dire as it could be. We have a roof over our heads and most of mom’s needs are already covered including her medical and prescriptions. As long as she is taken care of, all is good. I’ve gotten a little spoiled over the last couple of years, but I can get by with the bare minimum.