US business magazine Forbes suggests that workers made redundant who leave with a healthy package should either save their money or take a holiday.

“Cancel the cable [extended TV service] and start reading career guides. Or you can book a flight to the Philippines and live like a king for six months,” the magazine says.

“In every economic downturn, a certain breed of adventurous jobless souls finds satisfaction ditching the job hunt and going off the radar. They know that while it’s hard to survive without employment in New York or Los Angeles, it can be much easier in Thailand or Guatemala.”