Financial Advice

Dear Masses,

Don't wait until you've been unemployed for almost three weeks before you file for unemployment benefits. It does not make for a smooth transition.

Also, don't set up a money transfer of ALL your available funds when you know the money won't be available in the other account for three days. It puts a hamper on your daily spending (yanno, gas to go places, food, important things like that). Not only that, but it will make a customer service rep laugh at you when you call at 11:30 on a Saturday night to cancel the transfer.

When you have the choice between taking $16 cash or your debit card with $275 in your account, take the cash. It's tough to make it stretch, but you don't end up spending the money you need to pay bills on frivolous things.

These are the lessons I have learned in the last 3 days. Use them wisely.

SERIOUSLY. Don't wait to file for unemployment. Just get it over with. I've had no income in 6 weeks. JUST NOW paid last month's bills. This blows.

Seriously, don't file for unemployment at all. Just get another job.

I'm more stressed out over unemployment than my job ever made me.

Heads up: File for an extension on unemployment before it runs out. This is something I'm smart enough to figure out. Don't, however, be a lazy motherf**ker and wait til you're filing for an extension to start seriously looking for another job.

Also, minimum wage is what it is for a reason. You actually can get by on it, as long as you have a little help (or realize you must have no life and work 80 hours a week).

Also, FOOD is more important than ANIME. This is an unfortunate mantra that we all must learn if we are to survive. (I am emo panda.)

Go forth and prosper.

Food is more important than anime! LOL! I love it.

Sorry you're struggling with our lovely system of unemployment. I think they make you work just as hard for that money as you'd work for min. wage @ McD's.

The headaches I've gone through since being on unemployment make me think they should be paying me twice what they are. At least.

Also of note, I have learned that here, you don't have to file for an extension. It supposedly starts automatically. This is what the woman at the career center told me. We'll see in a week or so if it works.

Plus, I really am ready to go back to work. Two jobs, if I have to, but at least I'll be out of the house.