job but we were able to weather the storm. It sounds like you have been living within your means (good for you), but, not knowing if you can pay the bills is a very disconcerting feeling.

You should file for unemployment benefits immediately if you got no severance package. I had to wait until my severance payout was exhausted (5 months) before unemployment insurance kicked in but $1500 a month (20+ years ago) was enough to pay the bills until I found employment in a better and higher-paying job. We had paid off our mortgage 7 months earlier so we did not have that expense.

Back in the day, the "rule of thumb" was that you should count on being unemployed a month for every $10,000 in salary you are seeking in a new job. Not sure how accurate that really was, but it was often quoted. Fortunately, it did not take me that long.

Hang in there. The hardest part for me was fighting the feeling that I was not doing enough to find a new job as the job search dragged on but it all worked out in the end and my wife was supportive (although a bit anxious) through the process.