Your Spouse Lost a Job – How to Cope, part 3

People may be feeling more positive about our economic future, though there are still a few hills to climb. In this part 3 of 4, what else can you do to help your spouse cope with job loss?

Tell your husband you will do all you can to help you both weather this storm. You, also, will look for a job and ask for help. Do this together. In doing so you will have stronger resources, reduced costs, and perfected resumes.

1. Look for employment

Determine your own skills. What jobs have you held in the past? What skills do you have now? Use volunteer experience to your benefit.

Fix up your own resume. Ask friends or an employment service to read it over and edit it.

Talk to friends. Personal connections are the best source for employment. Use online resources such as Facebook or LinkedIn.

If you already work, consider a second temporary job.

2. Source Out Friends for Help

You may need to rant and rave too. Ask trusted friends for an ear.

Offer to babysit alternate weeks for friends in exchange for the same. Keep it simple. Five o’clock to seven thirty is time for an early dinner out (a picnic in the park or your back yard), a long walk, or relaxing on the couch with your husband. An early pickup time means your children get to bed on time and you can do this mid week.

Ask a friend if they can edit a resume (yours) or encourage your husband to ask one of his friends.

Join a farmers’ cooperative with friends. Splitting delivery of healthy local produce may be cost effective.

Exchange services. Do you have an abundance of vegetables in your garden, and know someone who edits well? Trade vegetables for resume help.

Host a potluck dinner. Many families do this when money isn’t an issue (new dishes to try!) so do it now, and keep in touch with friends in a low-cost way.

Finally, when you feel the stress of your husband’s job loss, keep going. You will be surprised at your strength and determination. Find your own job, however temporary, and enlist the help of friends, to maintain the resilience and support that strengthens the foundation of your family and marriage.

Leigh Harris is writing Metaphysical Mom: Five Minutes to Calm. She is also a mother, faciliator, life and career coach, and practices creative family budgeting. She can be reached at [email protected] .