5 Ways to Rise Above Temporary Financial Hardship

Sensible financial management relies on budgeting and other proven principles to ensure your income covers household expenses. Along the way, however, unexpected or extraordinary costs can interfere with cash flow.

Job loss, underemployment, costly repair bills, and other forms of hardship exact a heavy toll on family finances, but there are creative ways to overcome temporary financial setbacks. If you see a rough patch on the horizon, take these straightforward steps to ease the pain of financial hardship:

Sell Unwanted Possessions

Despite your best efforts to maintain a manageable household, belongings nonetheless accumulate over time. When cash flow slows, selling-off unneeded items can generate vital income.

Modern marketplaces, like eBay and Craigslist furnish access to buyers, so promoting your goods is the only thing standing between you and a self-inspired payday.

Cut Spending

It almost goes without saying, but is so important it’s worth repeating. When financial conditions deteriorate, there are only two ways to restore your balanced budget – through increased earnings or decreased spending.

Attacking the problem from both directions yields the best results, but you won’t make any progress until spending is restrained within sustainable limits. If reckless discretionary spending is the root of your financial hardship, a formal budget can be used to break your bad habits.

By tracking your household cash flow and establishing spending limits, you can once again find crucial budget balance. Key areas for savings include leisure expenditures, dining out, travel, clothing etc. Take a look at our MANY tips on cutting spending!

Establish Outside Financing

Paying as you go keeps you out of debt, but when financial hardship strikes, you may need outside help. Various forms of financing assist during hard times, including personal loans, equity lines of credit, and special loans for bad credit applicants. Equity financing uses the value of your home as collateral, so interest rates are among the best available.

Unsecured personal loans, issued based upon an applicant’s strength of credit, furnish reasonable APRs, without restrictions on how the money is spent. If your credit history is less than perfect, a no-credit-check loan may be your best option, using your steady employment record to guarantee a loan until payday.

Create an Additional Income Stream

Unrelenting expenses create frustration for families living from paycheck to paycheck. Even rigid budgeting and discipline are unable to furnish financial balance, in some cases, so adding income is the only way to right the ship. If you are struggling to make timely payments, think outside the box for money-making ideas, like these:

Turn Your Hobby to a Business
Artists, photographers, crafters, and authors possess marketable skills, so if you are artistically inspired, use your talent to generate cash. Woodworkers, automotive hobbyists and amateurs of all sorts can realistic convert time into needed financial resources, using only word of mouth to stimulate interest. You can start off through sites like Fiverr, Freelancer or Etsy.

Consult Within Your Field
Under certain circumstances, you may be able to add income within your field. Barring a conflict of interest with your employer, your expertise may bring a price. Use your accounting credentials to earn seasonal income preparing tax returns, for example, or your skill as a hair stylist to make money on the side.

Do Odd Jobs
Temporary setbacks call for quick solutions, so it isn’t the time to be choosy about the work at hand. Instead, resign yourself to picking-up extra money where it’s available, whether it is cleaning house or waiting tables. We often mention ideas for making money on the side, such as doing delivery for Deliv.

Share Your Opinion For a Fee
In order to sharpen marketing efforts and weigh public perception, consumer organizations gather feedback about products and services. What’s more – participants are often compensated for their opinions. You may be able to earn money watching TV commercials, tasting new food products, or completing market surveys about your consumer habits. Pay scale varies, but it isn’t heady work, and can often be done without leaving home. If you excel and want to share your views on a regular basis, consider hosting your own blog, for profit.

Temporary financial setbacks arise due to health emergencies, employment irregularities, major repair expenses and other monetary misfortune. Thankfully, proven practices help countless families overcome short-term hardship, only to emerge on firm financial footing. If your cash flow falters, use these strategies to rise above financial distress.

Thanks to Freepik for the featured image.