When you are faced with a money problem, it is important to be able to make the right decision. Remain calm and you should be able to identify the best option for you and your family.
Believe it or not, you actually may have more options than you think. Here are a few places that people commonly turn when they are having a money issue.
Ask for help from friends or family members. If they are willing and able to help, then this is usually the best option as it would be a loan without fees or interest. Just plan to pay back the loan as quickly as possible.
Apply for emergency assistance from your bank or credit union. This will require filling out paperwork and waiting for approval but it may be better than going without any money at all. Obviously, you will need to have decent credit for this option.
Apply for an emergency payday loan. If you do not have the credit to get a loan from a traditional bank, a payday loan might do the trick. While these are much more expensive, sometimes it is the option that you need to pursue.
An Emergency Fund Can Help
Once you handle your money problem, you need to consider ways to prevent it in the future. There is no better way to do that than with an emergency fund or emergency savings account.
An emergency fund is a type of savings account that you can use to cover any unexpected expenses, such as an unexpected car repair or medical bills.
The emergency fund allows you to save money for a short-term need and use it when the need arises. It’s a way to protect yourself from a sudden rise in cost of living and emergencies.
To start an account, open a savings at a bank and start contributing to it. Even budgeting a couple hundred dollars a month can build a healthy savings of almost 2500 dollars over the course of a year.
Budgeting Can Help
Speaking of budgeting, that is the next best way to prevent money problems in the future. A balanced budget is one that allows for saving and that keeps you living within your means.
You should have a clear idea of what your budget is before any emergency happens. This includes the amount of money that you need to live on each month and what you need to save for emergencies.
Make sure that you are not overspending on luxuries like vacations and entertainment. These can be fun but they do not help you in the long run when it comes time for an emergency.
If you find that there is no room in your budget for saving, you will need to make some changes. Every budget can allow for savings, you just need to make cuts to save the money. This might mean making small changes or it could involve major changes and a big change in quality of life. In any case, saving is mandatory for your financial health.
Pay Off Debt To Allow For Saving
If you have no room for saving, it could be because of debt that you are carrying, particularly high interest credit card debt. You must make a plan to pay this debt off to avoid money emergencies int he future.
The debt snowball method is a way to pay off your debts and build up savings. It requires you to pay off the smallest debt first and then use the money you’ve saved to pay off the next smallest debt, and so on.
The main idea of this method is to start small and work up slowly to paying off larger and larger debts. Paying off small accounts frees up extra money to do so and it gives you more successes along the way to encourage you.
Adding Extra income
If budgeting fails to provide enough money to save, or if you want to speed up the process, an extra income is just the thing. Lucky for you, there are lots of extra ways to make money.
Here are five ways to make extra cash in your spare time:
1. Become a freelance writer. You can write articles and blog posts for websites, blogs, magazines or newspapers. You can also write book reviews, product descriptions or other content for businesses.
2. Start a podcast. Podcasts are a great way to make money from your spare time because you don’t have to do anything other than record your thoughts and share them with others who want to listen.
3. Offer tutoring services. If you have knowledge in a certain subject area, then you can offer tutoring services online or in person as an independent contractor at various schools and universities.
4. Become an affiliate marketer. Affiliate marketing is a great way to make money online. You can promote products on Amazon, or become an affiliate marketer for other companies and earn commission based on their sales you drive. This makes learning how to be an affiliate marketer a very smart investment.
5. Become a social media influencer. Social media is all the rage these days, and there are many people who have built big followings on platforms like Instagram, Twitter, Facebook and YouTube. All that you need is a smart phone and persistence.
How to Create a Budget That Works for You
It is hard to stress enough just how important having a budget is. It allows you to live within your means and holds you to it. So many people are living outside of their means and this causes most money problems. If you earn 3500 dollars a month, you can only go on so long spending 4000 dollars.
Budgeting software can be used as a tool that helps you to plan your budget and stay on track with your financial goals. There are many different types of budgeting software that can help you manage your finances and get the most out of them. A simple search on your favorite search engine will reveal dozens of examples, many of them free.