The truth is that at one point or another, most people will struggle with their finances. It’s not easy feeling like you’re sinking, as a result of struggling to manage your finances properly, even if you manage to secure subprime loans. It can feel as if it’s your fault you’re finding it hard to stay financially afloat, when actually it isn’t your fault. Yes, you may have made some bad choices with money or you may have lost an income stream, but blaming yourself isn’t going to help you or your family. Instead, you need to approach the problem head on and face it.
Of course, knowing how to do that isn’t always easy, is it? When you find that you’re struggling with your finances, it’s not easy to accept the situation that you have found yourself in. You may be feeling upset, angry, embarrassed, or ashamed, or all of these emotions. However, it’s important to remember that financial problems impact a far wider number of people that you can imagine, and you really are not alone.
You may be feeling anxious and panicked by the situation that you have found yourself in, however it’s important to stay calm and try not to let it impact your mental health and wellbeing. Yes, it’s a rubbish situation to be in, but don’t let it impact your mindset – instead find a way to move forward.
To help you to do that, and to help reduce the stress and strain that you are under, below is a guide to some of the steps that you can take if you find that you are struggling financially.
Don’t ‘bury your head in the sand’
The very worst thing that you can do is ‘bury your head in the sand’. Whatever you do, don’t make the mistake of pretending that it isn’t happening, or the situation will only end up getting worse. That’s why it’s so important that you are willing to accept the fact that there is a problem, because without doing so, it’s impossible to face the issue head on. However, by accepting that you are struggling financially, you put yourself in a position to deal with the problem in a more positive and constructive way.
If you ignore the problem, it won’t go away – if anything, it will only end up getting worse. That’s why it’s so important that if you’re struggling financially, you acknowledge that there is, in fact a problem, as by doing so you can then address the problem and prevent it from getting worse.
Write a list of what you’re struggling with
The first step that you should take is to sit down and write a list of all the things that you’re struggling financially with. While the concept of doing this might seem somewhat daunting, it’s an important step to take and one that should help to make getting things back on track, somewhat easier.
Sit down and write out a list of any bills that are overdue as well as a list of any debts that are owed. It’s also important to work out the monthly cost of your living expenses, and determine whether they are affordable. If your living expenses outweigh your monthly income, then you have somewhat of a problem. However, what it’s important to remember is that there are a number of ways that you can make managing your finances a little easier. By creating a list of your finances, you can work out what you can afford to pay and what you are unable to pay, and can then move forward from there.
There is plenty of support available from financial charities, as well as debt charities like Step Change, for instance. So whatever it is that you are struggling with, don’t feel like there’s a lack of support available, because this isn’t the case.
Consider selling assets to help
If you’re struggling with your finances and need a means to an end, one option is to consider selling your assets to help cover the cost of your debts or to help make your living expenses that little bit more affordable. The fact is that while this might not be a route that you want to go down, it may be one that could be helpful, and thus is worth considering.
Take the time to think about what you could sell – whether it’s old and unwanted furniture, electricals you no longer need, or something else. There are some great resources online designed to help you determine assets that you could sell to boost your income – for a little inspiration have a read of: ‘The 6 Surprising Assets You Can Sell To Supplement Your Income’. These kinds of resources offer some fantastic tips and ideas for making it far easier to give your income that much-needed boost to make managing your finances that little bit easier.
Find a way to earn more
Another option, when it comes to making it easier to manage your finances, is to consider supplementing your regular income by earning more from a second income. While this may not be an idea that appeals to you, it could be a good option to consider, and it doesn’t necessarily have to mean leaving the house. Believe it or not, there are plenty of ways you can earn from home, including by freelancing.
Whatever your job – be it working in education, marketing, medicine, health, or any other industry for that matter – there are plenty of options for freelancing within your chosen industry. However, it might just take a little time to work out what these options are. Let’s say, for instance, that you work as a teacher but need to boost your income – perhaps you could work as an online tutor? Or, say you work in marketing – maybe you could offer some freelance social media management to smaller companies? Whatever area you work in, there’s sure to be a way that you can earn some extra money through freelancing.
A great tip is to look on sites like Indeed for remote roles, as well as using Facebook community groups specially created for your industry, and LinkedIn job boards to source remote and freelance roles.
Struggling financially is not easy to cope with, however with the right action plan in place, you can make managing the situation that you have found yourself in, far simpler and easier to cope with.
