Housing ReliefThe COVID-19 pandemic triggered record job loss, and many people are still unemployed. While extra unemployment benefits from the American Rescue Plan helped, they could be ending soon, which is why you’ll need to make plans to stay afloat if you’re out of a job.
Here are some moves you can make to offset the loss of unemployment benefits.
Contact Your State’s Unemployment Office
While help from the federal government may dwindle, you could still be eligible for unemployment benefits from your state. By contacting your state’s unemployment office now and seeing what it takes to continue receiving benefits, you can at least count on some income until you find a new job.
Make a Budget
Cutting spending is a great way to stretch every dollar in your budget. Until you get working again, you’ll probably need to cut back on some luxuries and focus on the necessities. Try eating out less and cut your entertainment costs.
Focus on the essentials like housing, food, utilities, and health care when making your budget.
Don’t forget about credit card bills and similar expenses either.
Start Some Side Hustles
A side hustle can get you quick cash to at least put food on the table and pay a few bills. Luckily, side hustles are now everywhere, so you shouldn’t have too much trouble supplementing your income. Here are some examples of side hustles you can do:
- Babysitting and pet sitting – A site like Care.com can offer gigs in this department.
- Drive for a rideshare service like Uber or Lyft.
- Deliver food through an app like Instacart, Uber Eats, DoorDash, or Shipt.
- Set up a profile on TaskRabbit.com doing odd jobs like cleaning, painting, or running errands.
Look For a Bridge Job
If you need cash now since your unemployment benefits are running out, you may need to settle for a bridge job. What is it? A job that isn’t in your ideal industry or doesn’t pay the perfect salary, but allows you to survive.
While a bridge job may not be your cup of tea, a silver lining is that it may pay more since demand is so high. Many restaurants are now hiring at higher wages than usual, which can help boost your bottom line.
Find Housing and Food Assistance
A whopping $47 billion has been allocated by Congress to help renters in need. Who has it? 340 agencies, which can make getting rental assistance quite complicated.
To get the assistance you need without running around in circles, call 211. Tell them you need help with the rent, and they should be able to point you in the right direction.
While on the phone with a 211 operator, ask about food assistance and any other help you may need. They can connect you with food pantries in your area, or even organizations to help you pay bills. And to get longer-term food assistance, apply for SNAP (food stamps).
