The Just-Laid-Off Checklist

I used to complain that my parents never taught me how to negotiate for a pay raise. Turns out, that wasn’t my only knowledge gap—nobody told me how to navigate a pay elimination. I’m not just talking about what to do with the severance papers and your 401 (k), but how to feel like the world hasn’t been turned inside-out. Here’s my hard-won advice for the first hours, days, and weeks after a layoff.

Call the most sympathetic person in your life. This may or may not be your mother. Save anyone who is prone to freakouts for later in the day—or year. (My grandfather thinks it’s my fault I got laid off, which is one reason I’ve been “too busy” to visit.) Call the person who is going to listen, commiserate, stroke your ego, and think no less of you if you cry. That last part goes double if you’re a dude.

Traveling Tight: Hedge Your Health

Tough economic times may tempt you to dispense with insurance when you plan your getaway. Please resist! The quickest way to compromise your bank account, not to mention your sanity, is to start thinking of insurance as a luxury.

The main travel insurance plans available are trip insurance and travel medical.

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Traveling Tight: Don’t Get Fleeced by Currency Conversion Fees

Money’s tight. So every penny counts when you’re on the road…

Psst. You may be incurring up to 3% in currency-conversion fees when you travel abroad every time you use your credit card. In recent years, banks have started piling fees right on top of the standard 1% fee that Visa and MasterCard charge for foreign purchases. Why? Because they think you’re too jet-lagged to notice.