2019年10月31日 • 4分钟
文章内容
It’s challenging enough to make a paycheck last when it comes on a regular basis – but what happens when you must take time off or a reduction in hours, or if you get paid for some months of the year but not others? You can survive the times when the checks are on hold but the expenses march on – read on to learn how.
Not having enough money to pay for life’s necessities can be scary, but there are a few things you can do to get you through this time with minimal hardship.
看看你每月的开销
Your first task is to look at your monthly expenses and prioritize them. Decide what you need to pay for and what you can — at least for now — let go of. Housing, food, transportation, and insurance should take top priority. Dining out, clothes, and entertainment may need to be sacrificed for the time being. 记住,这不是永远的. When the cash is flowing again, these expenses can be resumed.
每次购买都要考虑周全
购物时,每一件东西都要考虑周全. 问问你自己是否真的需要它. If the answer is yes – do you need it now or can it wait a while? Or, could you get it for less somewhere else? Getting in the habit of asking yourself these questions will help you become a savvy shopper in both good and bad times. This will also help you avoid relying on credit cards during this difficult period. 这可能很难, but you will be so much happier when that next paycheck comes in – and it belongs to you instead of to paying off high-interest debt.
妥善处理信用卡债务
如果你有信用卡付款, and you simply don’t have the money to pay them, 立即联系你的债权人. You may be eligible for special programs that will keep your accounts in good standing. Waiting until you are behind will not only increase your balance because of hiked up interest rates and fees, 但也会损害你的信用.
Get creative – and understand potential consequences
If you really need to scare up some funds, consider every option.
If you don’t have the money to pay credit card bills, you may be eligible for special programs that will keep your accounts in good standing."
There are other sources of funds available, but beware of 掠夺性贷款: many are not in your best interest because they cost too much and/or pose a great risk to your finances.
What do you do to prevent a scramble for cash 下次 around? 第一个, mark on your calendar the date that you will have to live on less, 所以这并不令人惊讶.
接下来, 制定详细的预算 to know what your monthly expenses are, and then prorate your income. For example, your monthly expenses total $2,000. You don’t get paid for two months out of the year, 所以你需要有4美元,000(即2美元),000 times 2) set aside for those non-income earning months. For each of the ten months that you do receive a paycheck, this means you’ll have to set aside $400 ($4,000/10 = $400) to cover the time you won’t get paid.
Once you know how much you will need to save up, have the sum deducted monthly from your checking account and automatically deposited into a savings account. 我们的 货币市场帐户 is an excellent way to save up this kind of fund.
最后, since you will be needing at least some of the money in a relatively short time frame, make sure you have the portion you need in an account that is easily accessible and penalty- free (such as a savings account or money market select account). Don’t put this money into stocks or a long-term share certificate.
Source: Broadridge Financial Solutions, accessed August 2, 2019.
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