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Job loss / money worries

18 replies

AnxietyOverload1 · 04/04/2026 23:03

My husband quit his job in Feb due to toxic work environment - he has had several other colleagues also leave as they’re either worked or pushed out. He received a payout in Feb for PILON.

He is a senior IT manager & realistically it could take him many months to find another position. We have some savings which will last us about 15 months and he seems confident that something will come up in that time. Job search is going slow.

However, money matters really stress me out - I’ve always been really cautious & this has all thrown me for a loop. I do suffer with anxiety & am currently going to the absolute worst places in my head - he doesn’t find work, all savings gone, house lost, etc. We’re in our 50s so starting over would be a huge stretch. We don’t have any family that we can move in with for a period of time.

Added to that our son is finishing uni soon & will be moving back home too. I was hoping to give him time to job search in his field but that seems dire too (Computer Science).

We moved to the UK about 8 years ago, effectively starting over & everything felt like it was going smoothly & now I feel like we’re so close to losing everything we’ve worked so hard for.

Not sure of the point of this post but maybe just putting it out there makes me feel a bit better. Have been trying to stay strong but every time I turn around there some unexpected setback.

OP posts:
AnneLovesGilbert · 04/04/2026 23:05

Do you work?

Ihatemondays1962 · 04/04/2026 23:13

Can he take something in an unrelated field in the meantime?

AnxietyOverload1 · 04/04/2026 23:15

Yes; however my salary doesn’t cover all our outgoings. Our only debt is our mortgage & we’re probably short about £1.5k per month. I’ve already been through our monthly expenses & culled any unnecessary costs.

OP posts:
AnxietyOverload1 · 04/04/2026 23:18

I’m not sure what he would take & if they would even consider him for those positions. The job market seems a bit rough currently.

OP posts:
topcat2026 · 04/04/2026 23:19

Start to control what you can because this will help with your anxiety. I’m also a catastrophiser and have been made redundant twice. Talk now to your mortgage provider about what they can do to help if you can’t pay your mortgage - i.e mortgage holiday or extending mortgage term.

If your husband hasn’t found a job by the time your son comes home from uni (June?) then tell your son he has to get some kind of job. Maybe you were going to say that anyway. That goes for your husband. Forget about the savings cushion - instead focus on consistently bringing income into the household. if you have a third bedroom get a lodger or foreign students. Do not start eating into the redundancy payment and your savings.

Get your husband on LinkedIn to post an ‘open to work’ post.

AnxietyOverload1 · 04/04/2026 23:26

Thanks - he has already updated LinkedIn.

Yes that was my plan with our son - he worked a fixed term contract last summer so hopefully he will find something again of a more permanent nature. I had asked my husband about looking for something but he seems to feel that his focus now is better spent looking for work…..

Our mortgage is due for renewal end of June, would they consider a payment holiday or something similar even now?

OP posts:
AnxietyOverload1 · 04/04/2026 23:26

Thanks - he has already updated LinkedIn.

Yes that was my plan with our son - he worked a fixed term contract last summer so hopefully he will find something again of a more permanent nature. I had asked my husband about looking for something but he seems to feel that his focus now is better spent looking for work…..

Our mortgage is due for renewal end of June, would they consider a payment holiday or something similar even now?

OP posts:
topcat2026 · 04/04/2026 23:35

AnxietyOverload1 · 04/04/2026 23:26

Thanks - he has already updated LinkedIn.

Yes that was my plan with our son - he worked a fixed term contract last summer so hopefully he will find something again of a more permanent nature. I had asked my husband about looking for something but he seems to feel that his focus now is better spent looking for work…..

Our mortgage is due for renewal end of June, would they consider a payment holiday or something similar even now?

Probably not, not for a few months. You’ve probably noticed mortgage rates have gone up rapidly over the last week or two. Have you been shopping around for a new deal? If not then start asap.

MyJustCat · 04/04/2026 23:40

You should be able to move onto another fixed deal with your existing lender without a credit check. Its tough times in the tech world, best thing he could do would become an expert at utilising AI.

AnxietyOverload1 · 04/04/2026 23:54

We already secured a new mortgage deal, starting 1July. With Barclays, it looks like we only have the option to switch interest only for a few months - would we be able to do that straight after 1July, do you think?

Honestly my nerves are shot - how did I end up in this situation?!

OP posts:
AnxietyOverload1 · 04/04/2026 23:56

I actually think we should put our house on the market - we could prob sell & buy to be mortgage free

OP posts:
Hitchens · 05/04/2026 08:25

AnxietyOverload1 · 04/04/2026 23:54

We already secured a new mortgage deal, starting 1July. With Barclays, it looks like we only have the option to switch interest only for a few months - would we be able to do that straight after 1July, do you think?

Honestly my nerves are shot - how did I end up in this situation?!

your husband needs to find a job. ANY JOB to make up your £1.5k shortfall. I can empathise with the reasoning for leaving his toxic job, but it could take months to find a similar paid job in the IT field. Can he drive? contact Amazon and all the supermarkets for a delivery driver position.

Do not try and move to interest only or ask for a mortgage payment holiday.

Blondeshavemorefun · 05/04/2026 08:31

AnxietyOverload1 · 04/04/2026 23:56

I actually think we should put our house on the market - we could prob sell & buy to be mortgage free

Do you have a huge house then ? And downsize ?

being £1.5k short every month is a huge amount basically another salary so dh needs to find a job. Any job to help

topcat2026 · 05/04/2026 08:31

AnxietyOverload1 · 04/04/2026 23:56

I actually think we should put our house on the market - we could prob sell & buy to be mortgage free

In today’s market, are you confident of selling at the price you want, if it sells at all?

herbetta · 05/04/2026 08:47

AnxietyOverload1 · 04/04/2026 23:18

I’m not sure what he would take & if they would even consider him for those positions. The job market seems a bit rough currently.

Honestly based on lots of threads like yours and the job market generally, I would say for him to get ANY job asap. The best way to do this in the meantime is to contact a local employment agency and do temp work to get money coming in.

Missm68 · 05/04/2026 08:47

This reply has been withdrawn

This message has been withdrawn at the poster's request

herbetta · 05/04/2026 08:51

AnxietyOverload1 · 04/04/2026 23:54

We already secured a new mortgage deal, starting 1July. With Barclays, it looks like we only have the option to switch interest only for a few months - would we be able to do that straight after 1July, do you think?

Honestly my nerves are shot - how did I end up in this situation?!

I would just accept / take the new deal for now. Once you've started it then you could consider upping the term or a payment holiday if necessary.

That is why your husband needs to take any work asap. It will protect you all. Plus the jobs market is really bad, esp in his field & at his age (it shouldn't be, but it's an ageist world - and I am also that age).

Villanellesproudmum · 05/04/2026 08:57

Lots of IT related jobs advertised in the Civil Service @AnxietyOverload1

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