The government shutdown is here, and it doesn’t look like it’s going anywhere. Many are left out with bills to pay, and mouths to feed. What can one do to make it through until the money starts coming back again? We have a few tips for those of you who need some creative ideas.
- Call your creditors. Bills are going to come, regardless of the circumstance. However, many organizations are proving themselves sympathetic to the plight of furloughed government employees. Contact your creditors, and politely request extensions on paying your bills and on your loans.
- Review your credit reports. Since you won’t be able to work for the government, you might as well use that free time to get your own financial life in order. You can order a free credit report from Experian,
Equifax, and TransUnion via AnnualCreditReport.com every year. If there are items on your credit report that need to be disputed, you can do it yourself, or pay for a service like
Lexington Law to have them dispute it for you.
- Take the time to protect yourself from identity theft. Government shutdown scams are proliferating all over the place, from people posing as IRS agents to extort money, to fake companies posing as Affordable Care Act employees. Don’t fall for any of these scams; do not provide personal information over the phone to anyone you don’t recognize, and don’t click on any links or attachments from people and organizations you do not know. While saving money should be the highest priority, if you need peace of mind, consider investing in a service like
LifeLock, which protects you in case of identity theft.
- Cut out all unnecessary expenses. Don’t eat out, make your coffee at home, and find ways to entertain yourself and your family that don’t involve spending money. Go to the library. Eliminate services that you really don’t need, such as cable, the data on your cell phone bill, or any subscriptions.
- Reach out to other people. Chances are, you are not the only one in the same position. You likely have coworkers and friends who are also struggling. Why not work together to work on saving big? Host potluck dinners with each other, buy bulk goods from stores like Costco and split the savings with each other. Come up with creative ways to save money with each other.
- Learn how to take on projects that can save you money. Since you can’t work for money right now, you can learn how to take on side projects that will either save you money or make you money. For example, you could learn to do basic home and car repair projects, such as changing the oil or the battery. Or you could start a garden that will let you save a bit on groceries.
- Visit the local food bank, if you are concerned about feeding your family. In addition to shopping your pantry, coupon clipping, and monitoring grocery store sales, you can supplement the basics by visiting your local food bank.
By Allison Preston. Allison is an avid shopper and an experienced writer with a passion for deals and coupons and for saving her readers money. She currently writes for leading coupon and online promo code site bluepromocode.com based in Santa Monica, California.
