Money Smart – What to do When You’re Hit with Unexpected Expenses.
August 29, 2018 by ThySista
Filed under Money, Opinion, Weekly Columns
(ThySistas.com) There you were – minding your own business and feeling confident about your financial situation. Suddenly, an unexpected expense comes out of nowhere, and those feelings of financial security seem as fleeting as the money in your wallet. It happens to the best of us, but it’s how you react to the situation that matters. With a level head and some strategic budgeting, your financial crisis will be but a blip on the radar. Here’s what you should do when hit with unexpected expenses:
Get the Cash You Need Fast
You may be tempted to turn to your credit cards to pay for the emergency bill, but this could leave you even further in debt in the long run. Credit cards often have high interest rates that make it 
nearly impossible to pay their balances off quickly. Instead, consider contacting a lender that specializes in fast cash loans.
Fast cash loans give you the money you need in as few as two days, and in most cases, you’ll pay up to 50 percent less than if you borrowed from other lenders or used your credit card.
Sell Something
It’s not an ideal solution since you’ll have to part with your things, but in a pinch, selling something valuable can quickly give you the money you need to handle an unexpected expense. Electronics, hobby items (guitars and cars, for example) and collectibles are all items that could potentially bring in large sums of money fast.
Cut Spending
If you’re like most people, you like to spend your extra cash on fun things once in a while. When times of financial crisis abound, however, it’s time to tighten the old purse strings. Most people can find room in their budgets to cut spending, so take a hard look at yours to see where you can reduce costs to pay that emergency bill.
Go out to eat less, stay away from Amazon for a while – whatever it takes to save money.
Shop Smart
Grocery shopping eats up a lot of most household budgets. You have to eat, right? Despite the fact that it’s a necessity, almost everyone can find ways to cut costs and save money at the store. From clipping coupons (or downloading the store’s app) to opting for the store brand instead of name brands, it’s easy to shave a few bucks off the grocery bill every time.
If you really want to save money when you shop, take the time to browse the store’s weekly ads and comparison shop between supermarkets to get the best deals possible.
Make a Budget
It sounds like common sense, but you’d be surprised at the number of households that don’t have a budget. In times of financial strife, having a budget and sticking to it is of the utmost importance.
There are many ways to create a budget. What works for one family may not work for the next, so experiment with different ideas to find one that works best for yours. Once you have a strategy in place, be sure to maintain it to get through the tough times.
Everyone experiences financial struggles from time to time. Life is unpredictable, so it makes sense to expect the unexpected. When life throws you a financial curveball, don’t just sit on the bench wondering what to do about it: put the above tactics into play and regain your financial peace of mind.
Staff Writer; Sara Moore
