Financial Resilience – Increase Your Cash
Katie Sadowski, our Financial Educator, compiled these tips to help you increase your cash and boost your financial resilience.
- Sell something – Facebook Marketplace, Craigslist or consignment stores are all good local options. Look around to see if there are any household items you don’t use anymore.
- Return recent purchases – Consider those needs versus wants, and if you made any recent purchases that you don’t need consider returning.
- Cut living expenses – Track spending and cut down
- Think about getting a trusted roommate if possible
- No income requirements to use the Missoula Food Bank
- Ask for an employer advance – You don’t know what is possible till you ask!
- Apply for a credit card – Having a credit card for emergencies is better than an unacceptable high interest pay day loan (can be up to 600% APR). See if you qualify for a credit card if you don’t already have one. Explore options with no or low fees and keep your balance below 30% so you don’t negatively impact your credit. Shop Credit Cards by category.
- Look for a second job – Especially right now, some folks are dealing with job suspension due to restaurant and bar closures. Check out your local grocery stores as many of them are dealing with a huge influx of customers and need support. Also, contact your local temp agency to see if anyone is hiring.
- File your tax return. Montana property tax assistance helps homeowners on a fixed or limited income by reducing the property tax rate on their home.
- Modify wage withholding with your employer – Ask your payroll department what route is best to do this
- Apply for unemployment insurance if your hours are cut by even 3 hours a week – Use the online portal to start a claim. You MUST report every week and if you don’t you might have to wait another “waiting period” week.
- Ask for a family loan or gift
- Take loan out on 401K Retirement, ROTH Basis Distribution
