Maryland woman impacted by federal government shutdown describes the fallout
The federal government shutdown is in its third week, but many workers will miss their first full paycheck on Friday after lawmakers failed to agree on a bill, creating a government shutdown.
Gina McDonnell, the wife of a federal firefighter from Harford County, told WJZ she's starting to worry about how they will survive without a paycheck. Another bill was voted down that would pay essential workers during the shutdown.
"We're basically just living off of savings and credit cards right now until we can get to the other side of this," McDonnell said.
McDonnell's husband is an essential employee who is working without pay.
"Everything that he worked after September 30 did not get paid out," McDonnell said. "So he is owed half of a paycheck from there, plus the paycheck that is supposed to be coming on Friday, which is obviously not coming."
Finding ways to cut back
The Abingdon, Maryland, couple is cutting costs at the grocery store.
"So the three pack is $11.99, which I can freeze, but the single pack is $5.39, so if I were to get three of these, it would be like $15. So I'm going to do the three pack instead because financially that's what makes sense," said McDonnell.
Inexpensive ingredients that can make several meals have been the name of the game for this nurse, who is currently in school to get her doctorate as a nurse practitioner.
"If I'm going to pay $1.29 for organic, I might as well pay $0.79 for a regular can," said McDonnell, while looking at a can of beans.
McDonnell said her shopping trip should make dinner for four, and should last for five days.
Searching for side hustles
McDonnell is searching for part-time remote work to supplement the loss of income.
"Nurse editor, I could apply for that one," she said. "Utilization management remote, I could apply for that. I would say that it would help us tremendously because again, I don't know how long it's going to be before he starts getting paid."
McDonnell applied for two to three extra jobs a day because her husband can't pick up supplement work when he's still working his full-time firefighting job.
How long will the shutdown continue?
McDonnell said they are lucky they have savings to fall back on for emergencies like this, but that will only go so far.
"If it went past December, January, then there will be some significant concern," McDonnell said.
That is why she, like so many others, are calling on lawmakers to end the federal government shutdown sooner rather than later.
"I would urge them all to get back to work with the business of the people and do what they're actually paid to do which they're still getting paid during this shutdown, and the people who are protecting them like capitol police, the firefighters, the police officers, they're not getting paid but they still are required to work," McDonnell said.
