"I'm not the only one who feels the squeeze.".
At the 2 Sisters factory in Llangefni, Anglesey, Desmond Edwards worked night shifts for ten years.
But he lost his job along with more than 600 other workers when the factory that processed chicken closed three months ago.
Many island residents were negatively impacted by the closure, including Mr. Edwards, who has yet to find another job.
The 2 Sisters factory, or "Chuckies" as it was known locally, was a significant employer on Anglesey for 50 years.
Mr. Edwards told Newyddion S4C, "I haven't had a job since I left.".
He claimed he had applied for numerous positions since the plant closed but had not yet found employment.
"I've taken a course to become a security officer, and I passed the course. I've also tried my hand at two or three different jobs, but I'm currently waiting to see if I can get in.
Work is extremely difficult on the island, aside from that. ".
Although Mr. Edwards claimed to have always been financially independent, he now noticed a difference.
"It's very difficult because you're accustomed to receiving money each week, but now that it's gone, I'm not the only one who's feeling the pinch. ".
The factory was a place "you could always fall back on for work," according to a different former employee.
The closure may not have its full effect until later this year, when the former employees have used up their savings and redundancy pay, according to Mon CF, an island-based service that provides training and advice.
"It's been a huge blow, and I don't think we've seen the full effects of the closure," said Alun Roberts of Mon CF.
"Some have received payments keeping them going, while others have been fortunate to find alternative work, but I believe the full effects will be felt in the fall when we will have a better idea of how many people are unemployed. " .
The impact on former employees' mental health, according to Mr. Roberts, should not be understated.
"Some have been there for forty years or more; that is a family, and it's been traumatic for some of them to forget that family, get work elsewhere, and if they live alone it will have been difficult for them," he said.
Bradley Latty-Williams is one ex-employee of 2 Sisters who now has a job.
He joined Mon CF and now assists job seekers with their applications and resumes.
He said, "We try to give them any support they need to get them into work.
The fact that 2 Sisters employees make up 75% of my cases means that I can relate to them and the struggles they've faced because I've experienced it myself. ".
The Mon CF reported that it had assisted more than 123 former 2 Sisters employees, 60 of whom now hold new positions.
More than 600 former employees are believed to have found new jobs, though the Department for Work and Pensions was unable to confirm the exact number.
A series of economic shocks for the island, including the closure of several factories in earlier years, led to the closure of the 2 Sisters factory.
Future prospects are bright thanks to the promise of additional employment following the announcement of the freeport as well as renewable energy initiatives like Morlais.
However, many people still find it difficult to deal with and adjust to the challenges in the short term.
