When Ernie Sanchez lost his job, he tried to call New Mexico’s Workforce Solutions to get his unemployment benefits. But all they gave him were more problems. Seven hundred problems, to be exact.

You see, in his attempt to actually talk to a Workforce Solutions solution-maker, Ernie made a whopping 1,114 calls on his cell, each of which cost him 45 cents. Some days it took him hundreds of calls just to get through. And when he did make a connection, he sometimes spent up to four hours on hold waiting for Elvira on the other end of the line to get back from her break.

That’s a lot of on hold Muzak. And a lot of charges to the Droid.

His total cell bill? Over 700 smackers.

“It’s almost the same amount for two weeks of benefits that I was trying to get,” Sanchez said.

Sucks to give your unemployment check to Luke Wilson, doesn’t it Ernie?

Now, with no job, no money and the wrath of Chad upon him, Ernie will have to go without the bare essentials, like food and gasoline and downloading of apps.

Boy, does this recession suck.