Jonathan Plumb asked:
Throughout my life I have experienced a variety of challenges. I have gone from no worries in the world to wondering if I’d still have a bed at the end of the day. I’m sure many of you have had similar hard times, and with the economy as it is, it’s important we look at all the ways we can survive. Over the course of this article I will outline money saving tips as well as ways to get through emergencies.
Food – This is obviously a very important topic. One must eat to survive. You can lose your house, your job, your family, and much more, but the one thing you cannot go without is food. One of the easiest ways I’ve found to save money is to “shop-by-ounce.” Many stores now offer price-per-ounce prices on all their product label. Bring a calculator if the store doesn’t have these values listed. Compare products to get the best deal. I can tell you first-hand that store-brand is generally just as good, if not better, than the name-brands, which cost a LOT more! One more tip I’ll give is to make as much home-made as you can. If you know how to make homemade stir fry, don’t buy premade meals, make it yourself. You will save countless dollars. Even though more work may be involved, most of these meals are prepared in the same amount of time as the frozen foods and can taste even better.
Avoid unnecessary spending – I know a topic like this may seem trivial, but I myself fall victim of unnecessary spending quite often. Consider downgrading utilities you don’t need (extra cable channels you never use, extra cell phone options you don’t need, etc). Try carpooling to save on gas, turn off lights when not needed, and definitely AVOID fast food restaurants. Not only is every single one (yes, even Subway) unhealthy to high degrees, but you can make the same meals for a fraction of the cost home-made, as the prior section brieftly examined. I personally have found myself able to save hundreds of dollars on simply using the city bus to transport to and from school (city buses are free with a school ID in Spokane). Make sure you keep your eyes open for opportunities similar in your area and tuck your pride away.
Don’t be afraid to say you need help – People will not help you if they don’t know you need help. People are also more generous than most give them credit for. For example, there was a time I was struggling when I was active duty in the Army. I told my Platoon Sergeant I was struggling and I was surprised by the amount of people in my company (people I gave no kind of moral credit to) that approached me offering to help, by donating gas money, cooking dinners, and more. I wouldn’t recommend standing on a corner (although I hear that can make a hefty living…), but don’t be afraid to tell friends and especially family if you need assistance. Also, the government has all forms of aid available for anyone in need. This ranges from food assistance, to health insurance, and even cash under certain circumstances. They can also provide job opportunities if you have come under hard times in finding a job.
Last-resort: Loans – I would highly discourage taking out any form of loan to help you in a crisis, because not only do you not have money to pay your regular needs, but now you have the same demand plus a loan payment, which you still cannot make, which will result in bad credit and even legal issues. If there seems to be no aid to your crisis, you can always turn to payday loans to solve short-term financial problems. Although I personally discourage it, it may be just what you are looking for.
I hope these few tips help you out if you happen to be struggling. Remember to not just read them, but to apply them to your life to make them benefit you.
Throughout my life I have experienced a variety of challenges. I have gone from no worries in the world to wondering if I’d still have a bed at the end of the day. I’m sure many of you have had similar hard times, and with the economy as it is, it’s important we look at all the ways we can survive. Over the course of this article I will outline money saving tips as well as ways to get through emergencies.
Food – This is obviously a very important topic. One must eat to survive. You can lose your house, your job, your family, and much more, but the one thing you cannot go without is food. One of the easiest ways I’ve found to save money is to “shop-by-ounce.” Many stores now offer price-per-ounce prices on all their product label. Bring a calculator if the store doesn’t have these values listed. Compare products to get the best deal. I can tell you first-hand that store-brand is generally just as good, if not better, than the name-brands, which cost a LOT more! One more tip I’ll give is to make as much home-made as you can. If you know how to make homemade stir fry, don’t buy premade meals, make it yourself. You will save countless dollars. Even though more work may be involved, most of these meals are prepared in the same amount of time as the frozen foods and can taste even better.
Avoid unnecessary spending – I know a topic like this may seem trivial, but I myself fall victim of unnecessary spending quite often. Consider downgrading utilities you don’t need (extra cable channels you never use, extra cell phone options you don’t need, etc). Try carpooling to save on gas, turn off lights when not needed, and definitely AVOID fast food restaurants. Not only is every single one (yes, even Subway) unhealthy to high degrees, but you can make the same meals for a fraction of the cost home-made, as the prior section brieftly examined. I personally have found myself able to save hundreds of dollars on simply using the city bus to transport to and from school (city buses are free with a school ID in Spokane). Make sure you keep your eyes open for opportunities similar in your area and tuck your pride away.
Don’t be afraid to say you need help – People will not help you if they don’t know you need help. People are also more generous than most give them credit for. For example, there was a time I was struggling when I was active duty in the Army. I told my Platoon Sergeant I was struggling and I was surprised by the amount of people in my company (people I gave no kind of moral credit to) that approached me offering to help, by donating gas money, cooking dinners, and more. I wouldn’t recommend standing on a corner (although I hear that can make a hefty living…), but don’t be afraid to tell friends and especially family if you need assistance. Also, the government has all forms of aid available for anyone in need. This ranges from food assistance, to health insurance, and even cash under certain circumstances. They can also provide job opportunities if you have come under hard times in finding a job.
Last-resort: Loans – I would highly discourage taking out any form of loan to help you in a crisis, because not only do you not have money to pay your regular needs, but now you have the same demand plus a loan payment, which you still cannot make, which will result in bad credit and even legal issues. If there seems to be no aid to your crisis, you can always turn to payday loans to solve short-term financial problems. Although I personally discourage it, it may be just what you are looking for.
I hope these few tips help you out if you happen to be struggling. Remember to not just read them, but to apply them to your life to make them benefit you.