A few days ago, I wrote about an upcoming interruption in my income.  Since my employer informed me about this in late December, I at least had some warning and was able to start searching for new employment.  Like a distant storm, I know that some rough times are ahead but I also know that the storm will go away.  After all, most events are just temporary.

With that in mind, I’ve done an inventory of items I have on-hand to see me through this temporary setback.  This is a worthwhile exercise to do even when times are good because storms can blow in quickly.  Here are some of the items I have checked over the last few weeks:

• Cleaning supplies – Laundry, mopping, and cleaning all need to take place, regardless of employment.  I have a good supply (60-90 days worth) of these items so I am set.
• Personal care items – Soap, razors, shampoo, toothpaste, deodorant, and the like.  Right now, my supply of these items should last me at least four months.
• Household consumables – Air filters, water filters, trash bags, and others.  Seriously, I have a year’s supply of these so I am not worried at all.
• Food – Pasta, rice, canned vegetables, beans, frozen food, and spices.  From what I saw in my pantry, I should have about a two month supply of victuals.  The only items I will need to purchase are fresh fruit, vegetables, and meats.

There are also a few items that I will not replace or even stop using for a while.  These include:

• Landscape service – I can suspend this and do my own yard work for a while
• Netflix – There are other free services I can get content from on my Roku
• Birdseed for my feathered friends – Will hold off on purchasing additional seed for the birds

Lastly, there are some areas where I can get some additional income.  These include:

• Selling my wakeboard – I haven’t gone in years and its taking up space in my garage right now
• Driving traffic to website – I will have more time to promote this website and get visitors to purchase products from my affiliates
• Get taxes done ASAP – My refund should be a couple grand this year so I won’t delay in getting these filed
• Consulting – Let friends know I can help-out on short-term assignments for technical projects

These are activities I suggest you do if unemployment is on the horizon.  Take stock of what you have, sell what you don’t need, and determine how to make some additional money once your primary source of income is gone.  I have interviews lined-up and some good prospects in the pipeline, but its always wise to know what you have access to.