'Completely disrupt someone’s life': Bengaluru founder shares story of friend facing EMIs, second child after layoff

A layoff can leave people struggling to manage financial commitments that once seemed manageable. A Bengaluru-based CEO and founder Debajit Sen recently shared the story of an old friend who lost his job after buying a house and while his family was preparing for the arrival of their second child.

“Layoffs are so brutal. One of my old friends was laid off recently. He has just bought a new house, and he and his wife are expecting their second child. Now he doesn’t know how he is going to manage the EMIs and everything else," he wrote on X.

The founder said the consequences of losing a job can stretch far beyond the workplace.

“This is what layoffs do to people. It’s not just about losing a job. It can completely disrupt someone’s life.”

He added that years of career-building can be thrown into uncertainty almost instantly.

“You can spend years building a career, and suddenly, one email can put your entire life into uncertainty.”

“That’s the part that scares me the most,” he said.

The post led to a wider discussion on financial commitments, home ownership and preparing for periods when income may suddenly stop.

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One user, who said he had spent many years at Oracle, shared the lessons he had learnt from his experience.

“Being in oracle for so many years, I have learnt a few lessons - no house buying, buy the smallest car if you need, no kids at all, no vacations and all, no buying luxurious stuff (e.g., just a basic phone that's let's you call, and use zepto and uber - that's all)."

Debajit Sen replied to the comment , saying he had adopted a similar approach after quitting his job and starting his own venture.

“For the last couple since I quit my job and started my own, I started following this exactly what you shared. And now somehow I regret my old days where I had spend on stuff which were not needed.”

Another user shared a more conservative approach to buying a house, saying it was a principle followed by his grandfather and father.

“Regarding houses,I have held the same belief as my grandfather and father ir do not buy house unntil you can fund atleast 85 to 90% of the full price. Both of them did not purchase houses until their late 50s and early 60s. In fact, my grandpa built his with the money received from gratuity and PF post retirement.”

For another user, financial uncertainty was compounded by a series of personal setbacks after losing a job earlier this year.

“I lost my job earlier this year, and while dealing with that, my dad was suddenly hospitalised. Then I had a cardiac attack and I honestly thought my life was over. I’m still trying to get back on my feet. It’s been one thing after another, and the struggle just continues.”

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A third user said the discussion highlighted the importance of assessing financial risks before taking on major liabilities.

“This may sound difficult to hear. But this is exactly why everyone should do their financial risk profiling BEFORE taking up big liabilities. I hope your friend finds a new job soon, these are tough times. Everyone needs all the luck they can find,” the user noted.

The discussion reflects how a sudden loss of income can bring long-term financial commitments into sharper focus, with users sharing different approaches to home ownership, spending and financial risk.