2020 has been an odd year for most of us.
Generally speaking, it has been pretty difficult all around. Nobody could have expected that the world would find itself in the grip of a global pandemic. Nobody would have been able to tell you that we’d find ourselves isolated in our homes for months on end and that even coming out the other side, things would still be tough. The global economy has taken a hit, hundreds of thousands have lost their work and few people are recruiting right now to help the jobless get back on their feet and back on track. Those who still have work may have found their incomes significantly reduced. Whether that’s because they’ve been furloughed, their company can’t offer as many hours, or clients aren’t requesting as much work right now due to limited funds on their own part. Times are tough and many are struggling. If you fall into this category, you’re far from alone. In fact, you’re in the majority. So, it’s not all too surprising that you’re probably looking for ways to get money together in order to tide yourself over until things improve. The good news is that there are ways to keep yourself afloat. Here are a few that you might like to take into consideration!
Consider Financial Help Being Made Available
Governments around the world are well aware that people are struggling. This is why many have implemented schemes, grants and more to help. The help available to you will vary dramatically depending on the country you’re living in. But it’s more than worth having a look at what help is available and applying for anything that you are eligible for. Some countries have offered stimulus cheques. Some have grants for the self-employed. Some have furlough schemes for employees whose employers can’t currently afford to keep them on. On top of this, it’s important to communicate with individuals in your life who you are contracted into paying or who you owe money to. This could include landlords, mortgage providers, finance providers, credit card providers and other lenders. If you’re struggling to pay your rent, contact your landlord. They may be able to reduce payments. If you’re struggling to pay your mortgage, contact your mortgage provider. They may be able to provide you with a mortgage holiday. If you are struggling to make card or loan payments, contact the providers. They may remove or cut the interest or provide you with a payment holiday. It’s always worth asking. The worst anyone can say is no, but you stand to improve your financial situation for the time being.
Browse the Job Market
If you have lost your job due to the pandemic, you may need to start looking for a new one. Browse online job boards and keep an eye on sites like LinkedIn where people may be looking for workers. You never know – another company may be hiring and you may land the position. Alternatively, other companies may be looking for contractors or freelancers to take on projects without taking on the commitment of hiring during these financially tumultuous times. If you register as self employed, you could secure some work that will pay your bills until you can find something more permanent. Just make sure that you know how to correctly collect your taxes and ensure you’re putting the right amount away to pay your tax bill properly at the end of the tax year. You never know when a job might crop up, so don’t lose hope. Keep checking every day. Even if nothing new has been advertised for weeks, something could come up tomorrow and you want to be one of the first people to apply!
Consider Alternative Work
Sure, you may have spent a long time training for the role you’re used to working in. You may have pursued higher education. You might have taken training courses. You might have worked your way up the ladder. You may be fully competent, qualified and settled in a well paying and esteemed job role. But if that job has gone under and companies aren’t recruiting in that field right now, you may have to accept things for what they are and consider alternative work to tide yourself over. This may not be enjoyable. It may not be something that you want to do. But when times get tough, you may not have much choice. Some fields are recruiting and thriving even through the pandemic. Supermarkets are looking for staff. Farmers are looking for people to pick their fruit before it goes out of season. Major companies are looking for warehouse staff. Couriers are looking for delivery drivers. There are positions out there waiting to be filled and you could potentially fill them, securing and wage and securing your finances.
Selling Things You Don’t Need
So many of us have so many belongings that we simply don’t need. We don’t use them. We barely remember that we have them. So, take a look through what you have and create a pile of everything that you don’t need and could sell. Listing items on sites like eBay, Etsy, Depop or other sales sites can secure you some money when times are tough. Make good listings with thorough descriptions and good quality photos and there’s likely to be someone out there who will buy what you’re selling. Just make sure to send anything that you sell with recorded delivery. This will prevent you having to refund scammers who claim that the item hasn’t arrived. If you have metal items, such as jewellery, that you no longer use and that hold no sentimental value, you can also look into scrapping them. Look into Scrap Gold Prices to see how much you could get for each item!
Cut Costs
While money may not be flowing in so freely, bills will still be coming out. After all, we all need the essentials to live. But now may be a time to look back over your financial outgoings and see if there are any ways you can cut costs. There are often plenty of places that you can save and where you can minimise your outgoings, reducing pressure in regards to the amount of money you need to bring in each month. Take a look at your gas and electricity bills. Are there any cheaper providers out there? Use price comparison sites to see if there’s a better deal on the market. Often, switching is easy, straightforward and cost free. Do the same for your internet provider and any insurance policies you might have, such as home insurance, contents insurance or car insurance. See whether you can reduce your television package. You don’t need all of the channels when times are tough. This is an easy area to cut costs. Think about your food shopping. Do you really need branded goods? Often, in blindfolded taste tests, people can’t even tell the difference between branded goods and their cheaper alternatives. Consider some unbranded or lesser known branded products instead. If you have outgoings for streaming services, you may want to put them on hold.
Chase Refunds for Services You Can’t Use
During these times, there are various services that you can’t currently use. You could be entitled to a refund on these services. The costs could be large or small. If you had a holiday booked that you can’t go to, a festival booked that has been cancelled or another trip that can’t go ahead, chase your refunds. If you had gig tickets booked, theatre tickets booked or other tickets booked, chase your refunds. If you are paying for a gym membership, see if you can get a refund for the time you haven’t been able to use the gym. At the absolute least, make sure your payments are frozen until the gym reopens. Apply this thinking to any service you can’t use. The amounts could really add up, so it’s more than worth the time and effort of chasing these things up.
These, of course, are just a few different ways that you can make money during the pandemic and when times get tough in general. Things may feel difficult now, but they will get better and you just need to make it through these tough times until things improve and start to get back to normal. It may take patience. It may take a lifestyle that you’re not used to for a while. But hopefully, some of the above ideas will help you along the way!
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