MONEY HELP WHEN YOU HAVE NO MONEY TO PAY YOUR BILLS

Determine if the amount you have coming in is less than what you are paying for childcare. If this is the case or it is very close, you could potentially stay at home with your kids and side hustle. For example, if you make $700 a month and your childcare is $800 (we actually paid this when I went back to teaching. Childcare is so expensive!) You would be better off staying at home and recouping the cost by finding a side job.

You may be able to stay at home if your child care is more than you are making. Then start your side hustle such as babysitting (a playmate for your child) or pet sitting. Babysitting has always been my favorite side hustle throughout the years. Some people would prefer to pet sit. Find something that is easy and simple that you can do.

Save Money on Rent/Home Costs

Is there a way to talk to your landlord and get a reduced rate? It doesn’t hurt to ask. If not, you may need to find a cheaper living alternative. I realize this is much more difficult if you own your home, but you may need to downsize while you are catching up. Is it possible to stay with a relative so you are able to save? Can you take in a boarder to help cover the cost of rent?

Here is a helpful article from the practical penny called Should I Buy or Rent. You may need to reconsider your living situation and find something you can afford.

You may need to sell your house and rent for a few years if this makes more sense in the long run. This would be a better option than losing your house to foreclosure.

Also, consider refinancing for a better rate. We did this and our monthly bill was around $400 less and we are paying off our mortgage earlier; however, we did have to put money down for this option. Talk to your bank and they will help you crunch the numbers to see if it makes sense.

Save Money on Utilities

Check to see if you qualify for low-income utility discounts. Call your gas, electric company, and water service.

Save Money on Car Insurance

It does help to shop around. You can usually secure a lower rate with your current company if you found a lower rate elsewhere.

If they refuse to lower your rate, it may be time to make the switch to a cheaper company. I have been a loyal member of Progressive for many years and I have shopped around, only to find Progressive is always cheaper for my family and driving situation. I have also been in two car accidents and they were very helpful.

Save Money by Saying Bye-Bye to Cable

Okay, so we all love our entertainment! I get it!  However, cable is not a “need” and should be moved over to the “want” section of your budget. Nonetheless, you do not have to go without anything.

We have Netflix for $10 a month and we never run out of shows to watch, including kid’s shows. The best part is we do not have to watch commercials! You could even split this with a neighbor or family member because you are allowed to add Netflix to six devices.  Hulu is also another great option.

Trim Your Bills

Use a free tool such as Trim to help negotiate and lower your bills such as cable/internet. Use Trim to set spending alerts so you do not go over budget.  Trim can help you save money and lower bills. Check Trim out here.

Save Money on Groceries

Groceries are one of the easiest ways to cut costs! There are so many ways to save on groceries but some of my favorites include the following:

• Meal Planning
• Shopping with a list
• Coupon matchups (Check Krazy Coupon Lady -LOVE her site!)
• Ibotta
• Ebates (if ordering groceries online – Use my link to sign up and get a $10 reward bonus)
• $5 Meal Plan

# 5 Make More Money

Maybe you checked out my Side Hustle post or maybe you did not, but this section is dedicated to giving you some easy ways to earn more money. Some things I have done myself are babysitting, tutoring, and dog sitting. Other ideas are dog walking, surveys, and mystery shopping.

Also, do you have a special talent? Sell your skill! One example would be music. Can you give music lessons?

Have you checked out Fiverr? This is a site where you can sell your virtual services. Think of your skills and search for people looking for this type of skill.

Best and Easiest Side Hustles to Earn Money Even From Home

• Babysit
• Pet Sit
• Grandparent Sit
• Fiverr
• Sell on eBay, Poshmark, Declutter, Letgo, Facebook
• User Tester (Test websites for money)
• Swagbucks
• Online Surveys (This won’t make you rich, but will help give you a little extra bill money)
• Dog walk
• Blogging
• Mystery Shopping (I will be writing a post about this in the next few months because I am giving it a try!)
• Lyft or Uber Driver – Read my Lyft review here
• Clean Houses

Note: Pinecone is my all-time favorite of all the survey companies. Pinecone Research is a market company that pays $3 per survey, most taking around 20 minutes to complete. They also have higher-paying surveys and I have made up to $10 for one longer survey that took around 40 minutes.

This is the company I have made the most money using; however, they close their survey sign-ups for long periods of time, so sign up now because it is currently open. Sign up for Pinecone Research and start earning! Read my review here.

For a list of 75 Side Hustles with more links, click here.

#6 Now That You Have a Plan of Action, Avoid Future Money Problems

In order to continue living your best life, you will need to continue your debt-free life. After implementing an action plan that will work for you, you must stick with it.

I know it will get hard and change isn’t always easy, but this could be the factor that CHANGES your life for the better. If you are able to catch up on your bills, start saving and build up and emergency fund to avoid debt in the future.

Continue your side hustle as long as you need and look for ways to earn passive income, such as blogging or affiliate marketing. If you can’t dig your way out of debt, you may consider debt management but beware to avoid scams.

Debt Management

If Debt Management is the only way to go, beware of debt management scams. Here is a helpful post to help decide if the debt management company is legit: Debt Management Plans

Also, check out this free program to help track and manage your credit score. Click here for more information.

Money Help Conclusion…

Figuring out your money issues is never easy, but you are not alone. First, create a plan of action and include a budget. Next, find ways to save money. After, find opportunities to add money to your budget. Lastly, stick to your plan so that you can avoid future problems. You can get back on track and start saving, one step at a time!

If you need more budgeting and money-saving tips, sign up for my newsletter below! You can also sign up for my meal planning and menu template freebie!