Fighting Unemployment Blues

Unemployment has been on the rise and is slowly reaching the 10% mark. Unemployment can be a shock and a devastating change to your life. It's easy to be depressed and down for the count. While it's important to find a new job immediately, one must also be prepared for the fact that it may be months before you can find a new job. Here are some things you can do to help you survive tough times and also bring you some joy in your life.

Food and water are the most important thing to survival and must be taken care of even in times of unemployment. If you live in the United States, give thanks because most of the tap water in the US is drinkable straight from the faucet. Unemployment gives you the perfect opportunity and platform to battle your addition to Starbucks, Jamba Juice, bottled water, and alcohol. Yes, alcohol! Purchasing and consuming alcohol while you are unemployed only brings you one step closer to the homeless man on the street and will make you feel horrible. Tap water is a free, safe, and exciting alternative to anything liquid that you thought you needed. You can even freeze tap water in a tray for a delicious ice cube treat that you can suck on thus eliminating your need for ice cream. As an added bonus, tap water can be found everywhere from your home to the restroom at a gas station.

Now the food part is a little bit tricky. Hopefully you had made some good friends while you are employed and they don't mind you paying them a visit to "catch up". A visit with friends will not only brighten your depressing jobless day but will also provide you with a free meal once they hear about your unfortunate circumstances. However, make sure that your friend is employed or that might lead to an awkward situation when it comes time to pay. Of course, you can still visit your unemployed friends but be sure to convince them that you guys should eat in at their place in order to save money.

When you have exhausted your friendships, it's time to go back to the roots of humanity, back to the days of the scavenger-hunter man. If you own a stick, a string, and a hook, and your topography allows it, feel free to go fishing! You can now brood about your jobless situation by the lake or pier instead of brooding at home! The bonus of fishing is that you have a fish to eat if you are successful. You can also try to hunt racoons or pigeons but they are crafty and their meat can be tough.

If you live in California or Florida, feel free to roam the orange gardens and try to gather some fruit to eat. Different states have different fruits available so do your research. Make sure you are not tresspassing or stealing from private trees when you are gathering, or unemployment will end up the least of your worries. If you become low on energy while gathering, look for hummingbird feeders as they contain fresh sugar water, a great free substitute for Gatorade. The owners of the hummingbird feeders should not mind as they put the feeders out to be freely consumed. While gathering, try to avoid mushrooms and berries as many of those can be poisonous. Leave the mushrooms and berries to the experts who have been unemployed for more than 6 months. If your area has low fruit yield, try eating some flower petals, those are usually less poisonous and can be tasty. Gathering is perfect for the unemployed man with a family as kids enjoy picking fruits and enjoy eating flower petals tremendously. An outing with your whole family is more productive as you have more hands to carry your harvest. If you are fortunate enough to still own a home during your unemployment, you can evolve from a hunter-gatherer to a farmer. Try planting vegetables during some of your free time, and involve your family if applicable. As a rule of thumb, the larger your family, the bigger you can make your farm.

Your resources can also deplete rather quickly and will take some time to grow again after you have eaten everything. Once your natural resources are exhausted, it's time to practice the art of modern scavenging. The 21st century have brought great advances known as supermarkets, Sam's Club, and Costco. One of the great hindrances to modern gathering is that you don't necessarily need a "club membership" to enter a Sam's Club or Costco; all you really need is a pausible excuse to enter. Come up with creative excuses to not only enter into scavenger heaven but to sharpen your mind. Know that samples are available at Costco around 3:00pm-4:30pm on weekdays and most of the day during weekends. Plan your trips accordingly and you can save money on meals. Feel free to bring your family for a Saturday of fun! If you are sick of the samples provided at the club warehouse stores, feel free to find Asian supermarkets. Large Asian markets in heavily Asian populated areas also give out samples during weekends. Dumpling, noodles, and strange meats and drinks are readily available for your gathering and consumption. Not only is it free, but it also brings a little culture into your life! Finally, the greatest secret in modern gathering is that you can actually ASK for free samples at many stores. For example, the deli section at your local Albertson's can be sampled simply by asking. Getting a slice of ham or a chicken wing is as easy as making words come out of your mouth. Other good places to ask for samples are ice cream stores and Chinese fast food places like Panda Express.

Unemployment can be very difficult on one's finances and mental health, but participating in scavenging will not only save you money on food, but will also bring you closer to your friends and family. An expert gatherer can account for at least of half of his meals everyday for free! Walking around and consuming less food during your unemployment will also help you lose weight and feel great! Don't be bummed out by your unemployment, but think of it as an opportunity to lose weight and to kick unhealthy eating and drinking habits! Of course, food is only one aspect of life. In the upcoming weeks, more articles will be published on how to stay alive and well in times of unemployment. Until next time, stay alive and prosper!