There are many reasons why you might find yourself in need of emergency money. No matter why you need emergency money, here are some ideas to help you out when money is tight.
Get back the money you are owed
If you need emergency money then now is the time to chase any money that you are owed either from friends and family members or from your workplace or within your business.
Having a conversation with your friends and family about the money they owe you can be awkward, but if you have a large bill to pay then now is not the time to get shy about being owed money. You can use that large bill or expense to start the conversation too – e.g. ‘I’ve got a car repair bill and would appreciate that money back so that I can pay it. My banking details are…’
It is also worth thinking about whether your workplace owes you any money – for example, have you submitted your expenses recently?
If you run your own business or have side hustles then make sure your clients have paid their invoices to you and withdraw any earnings in places like survey websites.
Use your savings
Most of us need money in an emergency and might not have access to savings, but if you do and you can withdraw your savings without a financial penalty then definitely consider doing this.
You can make replenishing your savings a priority once you are back on your feet.
Sell your unwanted belongings
Selling your unwanted items, especially somewhere like Facebook Marketplace or Gumtree where a buyer can collect quickly is a great way to get some emergency cash together.
You don’t always have to sell big-ticket items to make decent money – it is amazing how the small sales here and there add up.
If you don’t need the money immediately then you can also list your unwanted items for sale on eBay and other online platforms such as Vinted and Depop.
Cash in your spare change
If you have been saving your coins and spare change then now is the time to cash them in.
You can take them to a bank or Post Office to cash in for free to avoid paying the Coinstar fees.
Ask friends or family for help
If you are fortunate to be in a position to borrow money from friends and family then now might be the time to ask for that loan.
In doing so it is only fair to arrange your repayment plan, making sure that it is realistic, and then, more importantly, stick to it or keep the lender up to date with any changes to your circumstances that might impact your repayments.
Supplement your income with side hustles
Whether it is cutting someone’s grass or offering them help with their social media, let people know that you have services to offer and see how much money you can raise.
Some ideas for the services that you can offer include: cutting grass, weeding, other gardening jobs, window cleaning, house cleaning, babysitting, dog sitting, cat sitting, dog walking, house sitting, bookkeeping, general admin tasks, social media help, website building, writing articles and so on.
Even if you aren’t interested in taking on long-term clients this can help you out when you need emergency money.
Utilise your credit card
Although it would be great to avoid having to take on debt, sometimes using a credit card can give you a little bit of breathing room.
Credit cards can offer you up to 56 days of no interest for your purchases depending on when your transaction takes place and when your bill is due.
If you pay off your credit card in full when the payment is due then you won’t pay any interest. Sometimes this breathing room is all you need to help yourself out.
Consider taking out a loan
Taking out a loan when you need emergency money should be a last resort as it could mean that you are making payments for years to come.
If you do need to consider taking out a loan then look for the best deal for your circumstances, taking into account the interest rate and length of the loan.
I hope these ideas will help you out when you need money in an emergency.