When the Pink Slip Comes: Our Story
A few weeks ago, my husband was laid off.
If you had asked me a year ago how I would respond to something like this, I might have told you fear and anxiety. After all, job loss is one of the top stressors in life — especially when your household relies on that income.
But something surprising happened.
I didn’t panic.
I didn’t spiral.
In fact, I felt calm.
While I give full credit to God for the peace that has carried me through this situation (I’ll share a personal praise report at the end), I also recognize that our financial preparation played a major role in helping us face this with clarity instead of fear.
5 Practical Steps That Helped Us Prepare for Job Loss
1. We Built a Strong Emergency Fund
This is Personal Finance 101 for a reason.
An emergency savings account gives you the ability to breathe when life throws the unexpected at you.
For our family, we chose to save six months of living expenses, which we keep in a high-yield savings account with Vanguard. This amount may vary depending on your income, lifestyle, and risk tolerance.
Not sure how much you need in emergency savings? Download my free Big Picture Workbook — it walks you through questions to decide the right savings amount for your situation.
Having this cushion gave us instant peace of mind when the news came.
2. We Created an Emergency Budget Ahead of Time
When emotions run high, decision-making suffers.
That’s why we created an emergency budget before anything ever went wrong.
This pre-determined plan helped us immediately know what to cut:
✅ Extra streaming services (we’re keeping Netflix and Prime, everything else is gone)
✅ Pausing travel sports for the kids
✅ Reducing discretionary spending
We explained these changes to our children as a lesson in financial stewardship, not punishment or fear. And that mindset has helped the whole family adjust with maturity and grace.
3. We Funded Roth Retirement Accounts (Strategically)
One lesser-known benefit of a Roth IRA is that you can withdraw your contributions (not the earnings) without taxes or penalties in an emergency.
We’re not planning to touch our Roths right now, but it’s comforting to know that we have that option. It effectively gives us another 6 months of living expenses if things got worse — without needing to go into debt or liquidate other investments.
4. We Built Passive Income Streams
This is a big one.
We’ve worked hard over the years to create multiple income streams, including:
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💼 A cash-flowing rental property
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📘 A book on Amazon
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📈 Dividend-paying investments
While none of these individually replace a full-time income, they add up — and provide flexibility.
Right now, we pull in a couple thousand dollars a month from our rental, and we have the option to tap into those funds if we need to. Diversifying income ahead of time has made a huge difference in how secure we feel today.
5. We’re Debt-Free — Including Our Home
Yes, we paid off our house — even with a 3.25% interest rate.
Some people questioned that decision. But today, I can confidently say it was the right one.
No mortgage = no panic.
We also don’t have car payments or consumer debt. And that has made this temporary income loss far less overwhelming.
If you’re curious how to pay off debt or calculate your ideal payoff timeline, my Big Picture Workbook can help guide you through it.
A Personal Reflection: Divine Timing and New Purpose
This season has reminded me just how not in control we are — and yet, how deeply cared for we are by God.
Right before the layoff, my husband and I were considering taking on a $150K mortgage to buy land and pursue a dream: starting a business focused on men’s mental and physical well-being through community, fitness, and resilience training.
We had prayed about it, we were in agreement, and we were actively house hunting for a property with an outbuilding to launch this vision.
Then came the job loss.
Looking back, I see this timing as nothing short of divine.
Had we moved forward a few weeks earlier, we’d be in a very different situation — with a hefty mortgage and mounting stress.
Instead, we now have the space to rethink, pray, plan, and ultimately pursue this calling from a place of peace rather than panic.
Job Loss Isn’t the End — It’s a Pivot Point
I share this not just as a financial coach, but as someone who’s in the middle of it right now.
You don’t have to fear job loss.
With the right planning and the right mindset, it can be:
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A pivot point
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A growth opportunity
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Even a blessing in disguise
And most importantly — it doesn’t have to control you.
You Deserve Financial Peace
This experience has reminded me why I care so deeply about financial coaching.
Because when life shifts, I want people to feel prepared — not paralyzed.
And more than that, I want you to pursue the dreams and callings in your heart with confidence, not constraint.
If you’re ready to start planning for your future, even if life is good right now, take the first step:
👉 Download the Big Picture Workbook
👉 Schedule a Financial Clarity Call
Final Thoughts
If you’ve recently lost a job — or if you’ve feared it — please know this:
You can get through it. You can come out stronger.
And you’re not alone.
With preparation, faith, and clarity, you can face uncertainty and still move forward.
