What do you do when tough times hit? Do you freak out, get mad, agitated, or distraught? Well, whatever happens in life it’s much easier to live through if you have a plan.

How to prepare yourself and your budget for tough times

Everyone – at one time or another – goes through a tough time. Whether its a loss of job, divorce, death, move, or any other hundreds of issues. It’s hard but being able to have a plan helps. Here are a few things to think about – budget wise and personally – when that happens…

For your budget:

• Allow yourself time to let the circumstance sink in – give yourself time to let the shock wear off
• Reevaluate budget
• Start living on a skimmed down budget – put anything extra into savings
• define wants vs needs
• Anticipate bills and save for them
• Make a list of needs – medications and food comes to mind, but it could go into paper products, even resources for interviews (travel costs, etc.).
• Stop buying what you don’t need
• Cook at home using staples (rice, beans, potatoes, and pasta can help stretch a budget)
• Shop sales/use coupons – only buy what you use
• Stop paying for services you don’t need
• Ask for guidance – have a penny-pinching friend? – ask for some advice

For yourself:

• Like for the budget – allow yourself time to let the news sink in. When I found out I was losing my job it felt as though I was grieving
• Keep a positive outlook
• There will be fear – and that’s ok
• Talk it out – I actually felt better after talking about it, if anything write it all down
• You will feel out of control – think about what you can control, and focus on that
• Boost your confidence by listing your strengths
• Remember what you are thankful for
• Ask for help
• Pray, read your bible (or something else that gives you hope)
• Just think – maybe God’s trying to teach you something or change your direction
• Remember hard times always end
• Find your center – I found that meditation helps
• Feeling overly stressed – go for a walk, take a hot bath, or listen to music

What would be something that you would do, or have used in the past, to get through a tough time?

-Dawn