I work at this big company that is pretty well known. They announced layoffs in this last week. They laid off 1400 in this last week with a plan to lay off 3600 in the next 18 months.

I didn't get cut this time around but people I know did. People I didn't think would be cut. Now I have to wonder if I'm next. I highly suspect that I may be on the chopping block in the next 6 months. I'm sure my friends think I'm just being paranoid, but always better safe than sorry. I was laid off once before with this company but was able to line something up, but the hiring landscape is so different, I don't know if I could squeak out of this one.

Based on this - I now officially revoke my previous goals. The goal now is to save save save in the emergency rainy day fund. I think it may get very stormy. I had a great goal to pay off my honey's student loan this year. That's off for now. The goal is to keep afloat and stash away money in case I get laid off.

Hopes and prayers go out to all who may be in a similar situation or who may have been laid off.

On a side note - I read Liz Weston's Easy Money. Good down to earth finance book! Reading Dave Ramsey's Total Money Makeover. Jury is still out on that book....

So I got an email from zillow yesterday happily informing me that my home value has decreased another $5,500. Geez - Happy New Year to you too!

I've heard a lot of people who don't feel that zillow is very accurate, but it's been pretty consistent for my home based on some other stuff I've looked at. I think was irks/bums me out more is that I live in an area where they main type of people are "stretching couples". These are couples who are characterized as high income, high-expense surburban couples. I am two out of three, not sure how good or bad that is.

For the month of December I was on vacation for the first week - stuck working from home for about 1.5 weeks due to bad weather/road conditions and then on vacation for almost 2 weeks, where I've been anti-productive. Monday will be a culture shock when I have to meet my vanpool at 7am!