Is there a such thing as free money?

I received my first unemployment check today. They sure make it easy these days. They said it would be in my bank account July 2, and it was. Although the amount I am getting is a sizable pay cut for me, it is enough to live on fairly comfortably thanks to some extra incentives that get thrown in since Mike is a student and by Obama. Also, the fact that I was able to apply in Illinois which is better than Iowa increases my amount some.

This money will keep me and my babies from living on the streets, but is there really such a thing as free money? Each one of these checks will be a constant reminder of how I took a chance, and it failed me. I gave up a good paying, secure job in the city I called home for almost 10 years. This entire experience has opened my eyes to a lot. First lesson learned was don't assume all benefits are created equal. When starting my job in Iowa I was shocked to learn that many of my benefits I took for granted were stripped away, this was hard for me at first. I also realized how bad is SUCKS going from 25 paid days off per year plus company paid holidays, to 3 and company paid holidays. Another thing, after 10 years, I had to punch a time clock again! That was a huge blow and took A LOT of getting used to. I mean seriously? A time clock for a salaried employee?

My point is I gave up a lot of freedoms to take a chance in my hometown and with a new company. Each unemployment check will sting a little. It's a constant reminder of what I had, what I gave up, and what was taken away from me.

On the other hand, it allows me to explore my options for up to a year, which isn't THAT bad.