Need Cash in These Tight Times?
If you need cash in these tight times and struggle in making ends meet, think of ways to make extra money. Some ideas might help.
Perhaps you are having trouble making ends meet. Maybe you have to wait for a paycheck or another source of money to come in. Maybe you lost your job, or you just had an accident. There are many reasons you could be falling behind, and you aren’t able to keep up with the bills. If you need cash in these tight times or ways to make extra money, keep reading for ideas.
Extending credit isn’t a good option if you can’t make the payments (credit card companies would love for you to fall behind, so they can default you into high rates). A credit card is an awful thing to lean on – you just keep drowning in debt. To stay on top, you need to pay off the credit card debt in full, every cycle. You end up paying more for whatever you buy with credit by tacking on interest if you do not pay of the credit debt. Talk to your credit card company to see if you can work out a different payment plan or talk down the interest rate.
If you need extra money to get over a hump or making ends meet, first put a budget together. There are monthly costs that come out of your bank account, or you may pay bills (like phone, power, Internet, rent and such). There are costs for food, clothes, medical and other types of costs. Take the money coming in and subtract all the money going out – then figure the difference you need to come up with, or what things you can go without. Call your phone and other companies and try to talk down the bill and get rid of extra features or get a lesser product – you may get leverage if you threaten to leave their service.
Buy groceries and such when they are on sale. Don’t buy too much of perishables because they go bad if not eaten soon.
Try to save on your energy bills – turn your thermostat down a degree or so from heating and wear heavier clothes. If you need cooling, bring up the thermostat a degree or so and keep a fan running in your room, even blow it through a bowl of ice.
Can you sell things off for extra money? Can you make art or craft projects that you can sell? Selling on eBay, or Craig’s List, or neighborhood websites can bring in extra money. Some things that you might have laying around – realize there may be someone who’d want them. Old VCR tapes, cassettes, vinyl albums, Beanie Babies, classic toys, prom dresses – think about it. People want things like that – you need to find the right niche to present it to. You may have to try different places for the right audience. If you need cash – think of what assets that you have and what you could do without.
Are you waiting for a car accident payment? Are you waiting for a lawsuit to pay out? You can apply for an advance to get you over a hump while you wait. Need cash while waiting for a settlement? Terms on such are considered non-recourse – that is, if the lawsuit doesn’t win, you are not obligated to pay the advance back. The lawsuit or insurance case must be strong enough to win, to get an advance on it. The advance is taken out of the future award, and not a loan – no monthly or up-front payments.
Should you look for a different place to move to that costs less?
There are full time and part time jobs that you can go after, if your area has jobs (some geographical areas are quite lacking in extra jobs). You may be able to make up a job (I did in college – a job was created for me because we saw a need that I had training it with my classes). See what needs are out there and try to fill the need. Advocate for yourself to show you are a good fit for a job. Odd jobs for others can bring in decent money – helping with jobs that others can’t or don’t want to do. Lawn care, fence building, painting, house cleaning, babysitting, and more – think about it and figure if you can do such.
While money may be tight, don’t let things get worse by not paying off bills. Find a way to bring in cash to cover your bills. Think out of the box – you may see a way that works for you that hasn’t been discussed yet. Needing cash in these tight times is a common story – find a way to make ends meet.
P.R.
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