Looking Over the Edge

We have been hearing about the Fiscal Cliff for months now. I despise these words. Those two words mean something more to our family.

The election meant something more to us as well...it meant a job or no job potentially. The election did not turn out in a good way for us and the no job seems to be in our sight.

Chris has even thrown out "Let's put the house on the market now," scaring me to death. The timeline is short, probably we will know by March.

Chris received an email update from his company CEO this week that really looked bleak. He started it by saying, "I hope you had a nice holiday," following it up by words that meant because 2013 is going to bite. Cuts under the sequestration have been delayed by two months, about the same time the nation will reach the debt ceiling. Chris' company gets 90% of its revenue from government contracts. Yes, 90%. If the department of defense gets the big spending cuts as predicted, Chris' job will be cut along with many others. Of course, Chris' CEO wanted him to continue to work his every loving tail off (like continue 12+ hour days right up until we cut your butt to the curb and leave you with nothing) to please the customer while they can.

We knew 2013 would be a challenging year, and Chris' company always knows how to kick it off right. This is the third year in a row that Chris has lost his job right after the New Year, but usually he is able to save his job somehow. This time it is different. This time, they have a lot of help from the Obama administration. And, Chris' company will have no job for Chris to try and get after his current one is cut.

For now, the for sale sign in not in the yard to sell our home. I have, however, applied to numerous jobs. If Chris loses his job, I have a job that I can grab at UNMC where I would be full time working nights/weekends without benefits (The hospital has been on a hiring freeze for months. So, I can pick up the hours but I can not get the benefits. Therefore, I can only work there until I find another job as we need benefits!). A job as a nurse will not nearly cover the loss of Chris' income. So, the house would probably go on the market within a week of Chris losing his job. With all the techies from his company on the streets, the Omaha area will be saturated making it more difficult for Chris to get a job locally (or anywhere his company has a location or where some other government contracting company is located).

Good thing we strapped in at the start of the year. We are looking over the edge of what they are calling the Fiscal Cliff...it is a long ways down...and I'm afraid of heights.