Surviving the Crimson Tide of the UK Economy

Recession, the dreaded “r” word has sneaked up like a deadly crimson tide leaving destruction in its path.

With retail going down and the price of commodities going up the consumer is left with nothing to spend on luxuries.

The tide sweeps into businesses more so creating havoc through rising prices and a lack of trade, resulting in countless job losses.

It is too late for prevention, too late for cure and all that can be done is to cope with it and soften its blow.

The Government has been trying to do so through different tactics in different sectors but with a main focus of creating or maintaining UK jobs.

In the automotive sector they have implemented the scrappage scheme in order to boost new car sales through government grants.

They are also in the process of investing £2.3 billion to help expand solutions for carbon reduction.

“Alongside this we have also announced a further £35 million of ‘Train to Gain’ funding to help the sector meet its skills needs,” Secretary of State, Lord Adonis said at a conference in June discussing the Strategy for a Low Carbon Future.

More recently the Government has announced that they will supply jobs to UK citizens between the ages of 18 and 24 who have been unemployed for a year or more.

These candidates will either find themselves in allocated jobs that include sports coaches, classroom assistants, social carers, forestry workers, loft laggers and child carers or become part of a government training scheme.

"These are real jobs which will give real help to the long-term unemployed alongside the skills, experience and knowledge they need to return to the workforce, providing support where it is needed most,” Scottish Secretary Jim Murphy told BBC News.

Companies have also tried different strategies in order to prevent job cuts or closures through adjusting work schedules, flexible working hours, lengthening shutdowns and extra holidays.

The Financial Times reports on a comment from John Cridland the CBI deputy director-general, saying that without these measures the unemployment numbers could have been far worse.

The Government and businesses are implementing strategies to cope with the recession and although you might not be able to influence the entire country with your schemes, you could change the way those around you think about it.

Coping with the recession can be more daunting when you or your partner has lost their job because of it.

Like Anne (32) from Portsmouth who said that after her husband was made redundant they as a family have been forced to cope with the recession proactively.

“My salary has to go much further now than ever before,” she says. “Every cent needs to go somewhere and I’ve found I’ve started to over analyse every purchase which can be draining but it has also taught me that a brand name doesn’t always mean something is necessarily better.”

The family have cut all expenses which would have gone to luxuries like eating-out and have an understanding with all their friends that whenever they have a social get together that everyone pitches in towards the food and brings their own drinks.

According to Anne, the physical aspect of cutting and saving is far less challenging than the emotional aspect.

“I personally believe that financial trouble is one of the biggest tests a marriage can endure because it is a direct reflection on what your security is built on. Something like this has the power to make or break a marriage,” Anne admits

A recent inspirational article on The Examiner said that it is possible to survive the economic downturn combined with loosing your job if you believe in yourself.

This seems so obvious and easy but the reality is, it’s far harder to believe in yourself, when it feels like no one else is.

The truth is that if you do believe in yourself it will lead to positive thinking which in turn will get you doing something about your situation.

Start by saving money where you can through making a budget for the household and sticking to it.

Learn the habit of thinking twice before making purchases and discuss them with your partner.

When shopping for groceries go on a single trip to an inexpensive store and try and choose items that have a long shelf life or can be frozen when you buy in bulk.

Don’t be ashamed to make use of coupons and when buying clothes don’t be blinded by a sale. If you don’t need it, don’t buy it.

A recession is the worst time to leave your job to explore other opportunities but if a career change is on the cards for you it won’t wait for you to be unemployed.

However, Gary Baxter (38) from Sowerby didn’t have a choice after being made redundant.

The former warehouse worker told the Halifax Evening Courier that he had undergone a stomach operation and while recovering heard that he was being made redundant due to the recession.

Gary couldn’t go back to heavy lifting after his operation and asked Remploy to assist him with finding new employment.
"Remploy helped me in all kinds of ways, such as showing me how to develop my CV and write effective job application letters, and I learned some really good interview techniques," he said.

"They also helped me rebuild my confidence – and they suggested a complete change of career for me."

Gary is now an apprentice baker at Sainsbury's due to a partnership between Remploy and them.

If you are currently unemployed and your field of experience isn’t taking on any people why not follow Gary’s lead and try something entirely different where there is a need for.

Although the recession is in its entirety an extremely unpleasant and life altering occurrence it need not destroy you.

If you focus on the good things that can come from this you might step away from this an improved person.

Like Gary who learnt a new skill or Anne who now has confirmation that her marriage is built on love, and that this is the only thing that is truly important in life.

And if the economy can be associated with an unpredictable ocean and the recession resemble a crimson tide then you will know that this too shall pass… and you will survive it.