Grieving is a natural part of loss, and getting laid off from one’s job is no exception to the grieving process.
In a recent TikTok video, a user is getting candid about just how tough it is to unexpectedly get laid off—while still having to pay for the things you purchased when you were employed.
TikToker Mads Mitch (@mad_mitch) shared with viewers how she recently got laid off from her job after she bought a car a month ago and booked a two-month Airbnb stay.
“I’ve lost my job so if you find it please let me know,” Mads jokes at the beginning of the clip.
@mad_mitch sorry I have backlogged drafts of my sadness but I’m done now #laidoff #layoffs #corporate ♬ original sound – Mads Mitch
“I got laid off last week. My mental state is ranging from existential crisis territory—super devastatingly, heartbroken, sad—to making really funny jokes about it that everyone has to laugh at because they pity me and not having a care in the world,” she says. “There’s actually no in-between. It’s just a real rollercoaster of emotions for me.”
Mads explains she’s usually a person that trusts the timing of things, but losing her job has made that considerably more difficult.
She says she bought the car last month, as she needed one and had been putting it off for a long time. She also booked an Airbnb stay from March to May, since she had a remote job and would be able to do her work from anywhere.
“What I did is so unique, I booked two month-long Airbnbs, from March to May. And guess if they’re refundable now? They’re not,” Mads says. “So I’m casually going on a two-month vacation while unemployed. The idea was I would work while I was there because I had a fully remote job—R.I.P.”
Many viewers related to Mads’ predicament. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau reported in 2022 that about 40% of households could not cover their expenses for more than a month if they lost their main source of income. According to Airbnb, non-refundable options cannot be canceled for a full refund unless there is an “extenuating circumstance” like changes in government travel requirements or natural disasters.
Airbnb has not returned The Daily Dot’s request for comment on if job loss would count as an “extenuating circumstance.”
Commenters on Mads’ video left some uplifting and relatable words for the TikToker.
“Bought Beyoncé tickets on Tuesday. Got laid off on Friday,” one commenter said.
“Maybe this airbnb situation is what your soul needs! Things will work out!” another person wrote.
“Praying for you. I got laid off too and feeling the same,” someone else said. “Take it one day at a time and take actions to find a new job and trust the process.”
The Daily Dot reached out to Mads via TikTok comment and Instagram direct message.
