None of us are immune to financial crises. Life often throws a spanner in the works, and it can throw us into a state of disarray, especially where money is concerned. It’s tough, but there are always solutions to the problem.
In this article, we will look at three types of financial crises. Some of the same rules apply for each, so follow the linked article for general coping advice in a financial crisis. However, there are extra steps you can take to alleviate the damage in the crises presented here. While we hope you never have to endure any of the following, we hope the advice we give proves useful to you if you do.
Crisis #1: Divorce
Not all marriages work, and this can be costly on both an emotional and financial level. You will be forced to live on a lower income when you find yourself on your own, and you may find yourself in a heated battle over possessions.
Tip: While still married, it’s always worth taking out a prenuptial agreement. This will protect your assets should divorce take place, and will afford you some level of financial security. This will ease the stress of the divorce, as you won’t have to pay court costs to regain possession of your goods should your former partner claim ownership. After the divorce, you may also want to downsize into a new property, unless this has already been forced upon you at the breakup stage. This will help you financially, as you should have less to pay on bills, and on an emotional level, moving somewhere new may also help you escape any bad memories that your current home holds.
Crisis #2: Unemployment
Suddenly finding yourself without a job can be traumatic. It doesn’t matter why you are unemployed, be it through your own fault or as the result of a redundancy, because either way, you are going to find yourself with a reduced income in the months to come.
Tip: Ensure you get the benefits you are entitled to. While being unemployed sucks, you are entitled to housing and unemployment benefit, both of which will alleviate the burden. There may be other benefits open to you, so check with your local government office for advice. The next thing to do is get back on the job ladder. Get your cv in order, and start browsing the job ads again. There is some excellent advice here to get you back into employment.
Crisis #3: An illness or an accident
Being unwell is bad enough, but there are the financial repercussions to deal with. UK readers have the advantage of free health care, so there shouldn’t be medical bills to consider, although readers in other provinces may have this burden. Being away from work can also lead to a lack of income. You might lose your job as a result of your health crisis, or you may have to live on a lower income for a while if your job doesn’t offer sick pay. Therefore in the event of an accident, it is important to speak to a car, truck or motorcycle accident lawyer on a way forward.
Tip: Again, speak to your local government office for any benefits you are entitled to. Especially when off work on a long-term basis, you will be entitled to statutory sick pay (when in the UK), and possibly other benefits as well. If you are housebound, there are ways you can generate some income too, so you may want to consider some of the money-making opportunities here to tide you over.
Finally
To prepare for a crisis, ensure you put money into an emergency fund. This will be useful if and when disaster strikes. And if you are going through a financial crisis now, follow our tips if they were applicable, and get any help you need, such as through a debt charity or your local citizen advice centre. You are going to have to budget what you have, and you will have to curb unwise spending, but there are steps you can take in any circumstance to get yourself back on your feet.
