I lost 90% of my income in November of last year... in December I found out why.. my largest "client" was running a Ponzi scheme and well.. went on the run when he couldn't produce any more money for HIS clients.
I'm the one who turned him in... the FBI/IRS & his clients kept me solidly busy through March, tracking down documents, getting their account information, endless interviews etc. Christmas sucked, I missed my anniversary due to all the crap and my birthday too. It wasn't until mid summer that I started to feel 'better' and started trying to work on other project seriously. I'm not really bringing in much more money, I couldn't even cover a car payment if I needed to much less our mortgage.
DH has learned, not that we didn't know, but HIS daily job may also be shut down in the next couple of months.. perhaps the first of the year. I'm trying NOT to panic, but it's not easy. I live WAAAAY out here in the country... unemployment is over 10%, the schools don't seem to acknowledge the dip in income and expect us to continue putting out lots of money. The closest jobs are an hour away, which is how far hubby drives to work everyday. When gas was $4 per gallon, he had to stay home and daughter missed many school activities.. we just couldn't fill the tank.
We will be receiving a food donation from the ROTC around Thanksgiving... they offered it to us last year, and I politely told them we were OK and they should refer to another family I knew who was in BAD shape. I didn't know then that my income was cut.. I just thought my guy was late on my November payment.
I may have to sell ALL my chickens except 6 if he loses his job... I won't let go of my project birds, I've been at this too long to just quit. We would have to turn in one vehicle and take the damage to our credit report. We are pretty hungry most of the time, giving DD most of the food. This years crops sucked for the most part, too much rain, and our new Livestock Guardian dog had to be tied up and he ruined much of my melons, onions & peppers....so I haven't put up ANYTHING really except a pound of black beans and a little bit of green beans and now a recent sweet potato harvest. The chickens haven't been doing their job, mostly because I think I dropped the ball and let them get mites & lice a couple months ago.. and now the molt... so we don't even have the eggs available I was hoping for.
We don't have insurance, I was planning last year that THIS year would be THE year...but well.. stuff happens. DD is 15 and I just hope we can maintain THIS level until she can get a job somewhere to help offset her own costs for activities. We already lived a simple life... we may have to let the home phone go but other than that... we can't cut back on much more... other than the chickens. I haven't had a haircut in 3 years, we don't go out at all anymore other than to work, school or the grocery where I stock up on not much at all.
So yes... still being affected.. but trying like heck to HOLD OUT for better days, and using this experience to teach the kid how life CAN be sometimes...