Money in One Chart

bad month

If you are laid off on a Friday, the first week decides more than the next six months.

The order you do things in matters more than how fast you move. Save this before you need it, because you will not have time to search for it then.

You asked for the printable seven-day list. It is below, as the slides from the post, then the one move, then the tool the chart points at.

Slide 1 of 7: If you are laid off on a Friday, the first week decides more than the next six months.Slide 2 of 7: Fewer than half of US adults could cover a $1,000 emergency from savings, so most people face this week without a cushion.Slide 3 of 7: Paperwork comes first, because it protects money you have already earned.Slide 4 of 7: Then the calls, and then nothing at all.Slide 5 of 7: It feels like you should be applying for jobs on day one, but those are usually the worst applications you will send.Slide 6 of 7: What to say to a lender before anything is late.Slide 7 of 7: Save this now, before you need it.

Paperwork comes first, because it protects money you have already earned.

  1. 01
    Day one: get everything in writing.Severance, your last pay date, when benefits end, and whether unused vacation is paid out.
  2. 02
    Day two: file for unemployment.The day you file sets the start date. Do not wait for the severance answer.
  3. 03
    Day three: decide on health coverage.Employer continuation, a spouse's plan, or the marketplace. Write down the deadline.
  4. 04
    Day four: list every bill and its due date.Rent, car, cards, subscriptions, all on one page.

The tool this chart points at

A low-fee brokerage

For the IRA, the index fund and the rollover. Broad index funds with expense ratios under 0.1%.

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Sources: Bankrate 2026 Emergency Savings Report.

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