Even if you lose your job, you will still need to pay bills and provide for the family. Bills will accumulate if you are late in playing them. If you lose your job recently, here are things that you should do
- Be realistic: If you are being realistic, you can think clearly and you won’t be panic. Problems can happen if you in a state of complete denial. If you can’t think clearly, you will use credit cards to pay all of your bills. Credit cards are notorious for their high interest rates. Because you no longer have steady income, it is very likely that you will not be able to pay off the credit card debt. In this situation, it’s a good idea to talk with the debt counsellor immediately. The counsellor will review your situation and look for ways to reduce your expenses. If you have an outstanding long-term loan, such as car loan and mortgage, the counsellor can help you to pay the bills. An effective way to manage this problem is by using the consolidation debt. It means that all of your outstanding loans and debts will be paid off by a consolidation service. Then you will need to pay the consolidated debt with minimal interest rates.
- Review your situations: This situation can be frightening and the prospect of your electricity, water and gas being shut off is unthinkable. In this modern age, we need basic utilities and we can’t live like cavemen. In this situation, you should study your situation. Some people are afraid to open their bills. During difficult financial times, we often think that the unknown is far safer than the truth. However, if you use this kind of assumption, there’s no way you can manage your bills. You should open your bills and review them carefully. Often, credit card companies have programs for people who have recently lost their jobs. In reality, creditors are eager to help people who have been laid off recently. For them, it is better to regain the principal, instead of losing their money entirely. Credit card companies are also aware that unemployed people won’t be able to afford their high interest rates. In this situation, the company may agree to give you one or two months of reprieve, while you are looking for a new job. They will also forgive latest overdue charge and late payments. During this situation, it is important for you to talk to anyone to whom you owe some money.
- Cut back on everything: A critical thing to do is to cut back on everything. There’s always a way for you to reduce the level of usage for electricity, water and gas. This is something that requires the least effort. If you regularly eat out during weekend, it’s a good idea to stop doing that. You should always eat at home every day and purchase affordable produce, such as locally grown vegetables. Little things can always add up. One dollar of favourite cuppa each day could amount to $30 each month. You should be aware of the most important things in life to avoid making your life miserable.
