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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to be irrationally annoyed with the furloughed?

550 replies

awaywiththecircus · 23/04/2020 17:28

I know I am but I'm jealous that they have all day to lie in the sun, home educate their dc, bake, sew, watch TV whilst I'm busier than ever trying to do it all whilst working from home.
I heard on the radio it's going to cost £50 billion over 3 months and I feel annoyed that the economy is totally f**d because we're paying everyone's salaries, and they're at home doing nothing.
I also know none of this is anyone's fault and IABU.

OP posts:
Thighmageddon · 23/04/2020 18:14

That's nice Op. I'm furloughed and I'm doing none of the things you describe.

I am however trying to control the anxiety that has reared it's ugly head again and sat every day wondering if I'm going to be made redundant.

I'll swap if you want?

RefreshingOcean · 23/04/2020 18:14

Do you want to swap? I am furloughed but no idea if I will have a job at the end of June when the scheme ends. And the prospect of job hunting in this climate is a very depressing thought. I would be in your position.

RefreshingOcean · 23/04/2020 18:14

*I would rather be in your position

HappySonHappyMum · 23/04/2020 18:16

I've been furloughed - and I wfh normally - it's not fun. I'm incredibly anxious that my job will be there to go back to. I can't enjoy the time off as I'm stuck indoors 'staying at home' with no spare cash and two teenagers. It may seem like it's lucky - but it's not, I'd do anything to be working normally through this.

mon15 · 23/04/2020 18:16

I'm currently furloughed as I work in the travel industry and yes I'm trying to make the best of it as the other option is to sit and worry all day about the fact that it's highly likely I won't have a job to go back to. Yabu

ilovecakeandwine · 23/04/2020 18:17

You are totally bu but I can see why you feel that way . I remember when I used to work a month ago I'd be a bit annoyed at people sat outside drinking or whatever in the sun .
But it's not our fault and honestly I'd love to go back to work tomorrow. I'm really worried I may never go back .
Those that are still working from home you don't have the same worry as furloughed staff .

Unworthie · 23/04/2020 18:17

@Amotherof6

What do you suggest I don't pay in order to achieve this 3 months worth of savings? Because what comes in goes back out. On little luxuries like rent and utilities, food.

Fwiw I had a modest amount of savings. Gone on rent unfortunately.

WhatWouldYouDoWhatWouldJesusDo · 23/04/2020 18:18

You seriously need to be grateful you have a job.

My dp is furloughed........the lucky twat probably won't have a job at the end of this along with thousands if not millions of others. In fact he's already resigned himself to the fact he won't be working soon and due to his age he may not ever work again.

Original poster
awaywiththecircus · 23/04/2020 18:18

@PippaPegg Furloughing isn't going to cause economic damage this is the bit I don't understand if it's costing us £50billion.

OP posts:
AintNoMaryPoppins · 23/04/2020 18:19

Where's all this money to save toward this emergency fund coming from though when you're already scraping by on minimum wage Motherof6?

Stuff like that is always trotted out by people who have a bit of spare cash every month and think everyone else must be the same.

HappySonHappyMum · 23/04/2020 18:20

Plus, I should add, that it's been a huge knock to my self esteem. I always felt that my job was essential in the company that I work for. But it's not, I'm expendable. I'm not sure I'm ever going to feel the same way about my work life again.

luckylavender · 23/04/2020 18:21

I'm furloughed & I'd give anything to be at work. Terrified I'll lose my job & slowly going out of my mind. Attitudes like yours really don't help OP. And if and when I do go back, I suspect us 'furloughed' will have to live with your holier than though attitudes for a long time.

PeppermintPasty · 23/04/2020 18:21

Give over OP, I have been furloughed this week, very worried about my job security. I’m a single parent who normally works full time, so the buck stops with me.

I am worrying about that as well as simultaneously keeping it all together for my dc, ensuring that they are happy in these strange times and generally wearing myself out doing all the usual shit one does at home.

I suspect the majority of those furloughed feel like me, I would rather be working. Yes, I can and do go for a walk each day and can do the garden, I live in a beautiful part of the country and so on, but at the back of it all is worry.

AintNoMaryPoppins · 23/04/2020 18:21

I feel guilty for getting "free money" for doing fuck all, when I don't even need it

Good for you. The majority of people do need it though, very much so.

Waxonwaxoff0 · 23/04/2020 18:21

@Amotherof6 have you ever been a single parent on minimum wage?

bringincrazyback · 23/04/2020 18:22

I'm very jealous of them. One big long party round here while l still go to work for minimum wage. And sure as hell tax and national insurance will go up to pay for it and l won't have had a few months in the garden And l know I'm being unreasonable.

You do realise they're losing money they might not be able to afford to lose, OP?

SkinnywannabeKBH · 23/04/2020 18:24

Oh my goodness. I'm so bloody jealous and peeved off too. Mainly because a guy I know who works for the company I work for is actually getting more that his weekly pay because he was doing "overtime" lots every so often so his weekly pay was more and they've averaged it out. His overtime was clocked when he didn't actually do it.

I'm peeved because my husband is doing a job which isnt necessary but is still being made to go in and the rest of his team (bar 1 or 2) have been furloughed.

I'm jealous because everyone has their husband at home spending time with their kids and getting jobs done around the house and I'm working from home, husband is working in office and we're getting nothing done.

bringincrazyback · 23/04/2020 18:25

Now I know I will get flamed because some people have no spare cash but surely.... there are lots of ways people can save slowly for an emergency fund....

You just answered this yourself. Some people have no spare cash. That means it's all going on bills, and there might not be enough to cover everything. Never mind iPhones or getting nails done (in which circumstances I agree, it'd be wiser to put a little by then spend on those things). People who are barely scraping by don't have anything to put aside, not even a little.

flower191 · 23/04/2020 18:27

My partners being furloughed and will be for at least three more weeks. it's taken a while for him to get used to but it is nice for him as he worked very long hours and hardly gets any holiday where he works so making the most of it. I'm a key worker but part time so we do feel lucky but there is the worry his company might not survive.

BeijingBikini · 23/04/2020 18:27

Now I know I will get flamed because some people have no spare cash but surely.... there are lots of ways people can save slowly for an emergency fund....

Nah I know the sorts of people you mean, like my mates in London who get salaries way more than mine but spend it on expensive gyms, dinner/drinks 4+ times a week, £200 nights out, theatre tickets, etc. Don't really feel sympathy if they have no savings - it's just irresponsible to not have them if you are able to.

Millie2013 · 23/04/2020 18:29

I’m furloughed and fairly likely to be made redundant at the end of it
I’d give anything to be working in a secure job right now.
It’s not much fucking fun at all 😢

Original poster
awaywiththecircus · 23/04/2020 18:31

I work in retail and am worried I might loose my job too after this. DH works on infrastructure projects which may well be canned in the future. It's not just the furloughed who have concerns about job security.

OP posts:
rarotonga2 · 23/04/2020 18:33

YABU to direct your annoyance at people who are in a pretty terrible position at the moment.

YANBU to find wfh and doing eleventy billion other things a nightmare. It sucks. But you can be annoyed at a situation and not blame innocent people for that situation.

Thighmageddon · 23/04/2020 18:34

I work in retail and am worried I might loose my job too after this. DH works on infrastructure projects which may well be canned in the future. It's not just the furloughed who have concerns about job security

I'm assuming you work in food retail and unless you've been taken on in the last few weeks, why would you be worried about your job security?

roarfeckingroar · 23/04/2020 18:35

YANBU OP

I'm still working but I enjoy my job, I'm WFH and I'm senior enough to have no one checking up on me so long as my projects are all going well so I go for a long walk when I want and sit outside much of the day. It must be awful for those who are still working out the home while everyone on furlough does sod all for nearly all their salary.