Filing for Unemployment and the Fear of Not Knowing

After this month, I no longer know if I will continue to receive unemployment benefits during the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. My last application said I was approved to receive $0.00 since I recently exhausted the accrued balance of my unemployment insurance. But there in my checking account was the regular payment with the $600 pandemic assistance payment I can expect through the end of July. For one more week at least, I won’t fear not knowing.

I’ve been pretty frugal during the COVID-19 pandemic, saving and investing the bulk of my pandemic assistance payments. I also made considerable improvements on my home, with a new refrigerator arriving next week, a used air conditioner purchased a few weeks ago, and new basement steps built by my dad and me a week ago. I also built a retaining wall to provide off-street parking during the winter.

That’s not to say I haven’t been spending money on shit I don’t need. I bought a first pressing of Andrew WK’s “I Get Wet” for $50. I spent another $50 on a Megadeath record. I spent way too much on an ounce of herb for baking purposes, bought some tobacco for rolling spliffs, and I even wasted a bit of money on alcohol at a wedding. Of the 16-or-so pandemic assistance payments I’ve received, I’d say I’ve wasted between one and two of them. But I haven’t blown the bounty that’s been plentiful in 2020. I put money away so I could leave the country at the end of the year, if necessary.

I don’t intend to stick around an America where peaceful protesters are disappeared by federal agents in unmarked, rental vans. That is, of course, unless good Americans revolt and reclaim their rights to peacefully protest whatever the fuck they want.

The abysmal attempts of the Trump Administration to address the Coronavirus pandemic are responsible for the lack of economic recovery. The prioritization of profits over people will take its toll on the economy. Why the stock market isn’t replicating the reality that more than 40 million Americans are out of work, I don’t know. From what I’ve read, U.S. stocks might take a big hit very soon. I’m selling some of mine, because I’ll probably need the money to pay bills.

Since I don’t know how much longer I’ll receive unemployment benefits and the U.S. government hasn’t done anything to extend unemployment pandemic assistance beyond July, I will be operating as if I’m receiving no income going forward. I figure I’m about four months from finding myself in a really tight spot.