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My husband was made redundant and I'm worried about money.

sylvia: My husband was made redundant and I'm worried about money.

July 8, 2010, 4:37 pm

I’m really worried about money. My husband was made redundant at the end of last year and he said he’d look for another job. He had a small pay off so the first couple of months weren’t too bad. Now things are getting tight and, although he says he’s looking for a job, he isn’t – or certainly not the way I would. Now, we’re arguing about it which makes it worse. What can I do?

This is, sadly, an increasingly common phenomenon. The most important thing is that you see this as a shared problem. This isn’t his fault: it’s his job not him who was made redundant. Put yourself in his shoes and see how he might be feeling. Many of us when we’re anxious become unable to think and become stuck. So:

• Try to be really honest with each other about how you feel, however hard this might be
• Use this as a time to evaluate what’s important in your lives – this could be an opportunity for change
• Work out your budget together so you’re realistically aware of the shortfall; sometimes, we panic unnecessarily
• Ask for some professional advice to help you through this patch and don’t forget to find out about the financial benefits you might be entitled to – like signing on and Job Seekers Plus
• Help each other to think positively and work towards the future and not hanker after the past; all that does is make you miserable
• Think about whether he has a skill that could earn some extra cash while he job hunts – for example, gardening or DIY
• Agree together how he can use the extra time constructively like helping with the cooking the meals or doing the housework

If you’re over 50, remember that you have a wealth of experience that no young person can compete with and you’ll have made contacts throughout your career. This is the time to speak to them. Given the changes in the age discrimination laws, there’s nothing stopping him getting an excellent new job.

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