Good NestingThe coronavirus came out of nowhere and left many people jobless and short on income. To keep families afloat, the government stepped in with stimulus checks, expanded unemployment, PPP loans, an eviction moratorium, and more.
Unfortunately, much of that assistance has disappeared, leaving many families wondering how they’ll keep a roof over their heads and ensure their children stay fed. If that describes your situation, don’t fret, as the following steps can fix your finances, even in these tough times.
1. Look for ways to replace your lost income.
Stimulus checks? They’re gone, at least for now. Those expanded unemployment benefits? They recently disappeared too. And that eviction moratorium has also ended, meaning you’ll need to find ways to start paying your rent and bills while keeping food on the table.
While this may seem overwhelming, the great news is that there are many ways to replace your lost income. Best of all, you can do it quickly.
For starters, there are many “bridge jobs” you can take on to start getting some cash flow. Sure, these bridge jobs may not be in your industry, but they can give you some income and the breathing room that comes with it. And before you brush off jobs that you always ignored in the past, know that many are paying more than ever before, so you could be pleasantly surprised.
Want examples? Food service jobs are everywhere, and they’re raising wages to get employees in the door. And if you aren’t a fan of retail work, companies like Target are so desperate for workers that they’re even offering to pay college tuition as a bonus.
Of course, you may have other obligations that keep you from taking a traditional job. If that’s the case, you can use a side hustle to bring in fast cash while making your own schedule.
Whether it’s driving for Uber, delivering food via DoorDash, doing baby or pet-sitting gigs on Care.com, or completing odd jobs on TaskRabbit.com, the side hustles and the cash that comes with them are out there.
2. See if you can get more unemployment.
If you really enjoyed the help unemployment benefits provided, contact your state office to see if you can qualify for an extension. That extra federal money has dried up, but you may still be in luck as far as your state is concerned.
3. Get your rent taken care of.
Have you heard of the Emergency Rental Assistance (ERA) program? It has tens of billions of dollars set aside to help people pay overdue and future rent, plus utility bills, moving expenses, and more.
You can learn more about this program and find your local office here.
4. Make sure your fridge stays full.
A quick call to 211 can help you find emergency food assistance in your area so your family’s nutrition won’t suffer. Then, you can apply for SNAP benefits (food stamps) to get money every month to go grocery shopping.
