Preparing For The Worst

I would say that most of us have experienced money problems at
some point in our lives. This could have been caused by the loss
of a job, injury or illness, over spending, and the list goes on
and on.

Right now in the US there are hundreds of companies downsizing
or going out of business. In some cases this is due to the
economy. In others we have seen cases of very poor management
and down right fraud. No matter what the reason, people have
lost their jobs and their income.

In a lot of cases this can't be prevented. If we can't
prevent the hard times, then just what can we do? Prepare!
Prepare! Prepare!

I know you have all probably heard that you should have at least
six months income set aside in case you lose your income.
Yeah, right! With things as expensive as they are today, you
are lucky if you have six days income set aside.

If you don't have money saved for when these problems occur,
then just what can you do? First and foremost, you need to
have a plan in the event this does happen.

Just sitting down with your budget and saying to yourself "What
If" will help you know what you need to do to be prepared. Here
are a few suggestions that will make it a little easier:

It is always best for you can keep your bills to a minimum at
all times and try to save as much as you can. Even if you are
bringing in good money you need to consider the loss of your
income before you make any major purchases.

Keep your freezer and food pantry stocked.

Determine what assets you could use in the event you needed
money to get by. Start with things like an IRA, 401k or other
savings. You can also consider things that you can sell to
bring in money or reduce your debt.

If things get real bad, you will need to know where you can get
help. This could be from family and friends or government aid.
There are a lot of people that have had to resort to this form
of help that never believed it could happen to them.

Know your priorities. Food and shelter will be your main
concerns if you lose your income. Whatever money you have
should go for these expenses first.

Contact all of your bill collectors as soon as the problem
arises. Let them know that you have lost your income and are
doing everything you can to get back on track. Get the persons
name and department you spoke with and tell them you will keep
them posted. Trying to hide from these people will only make
matters worse.

Let the entire family in on the problem and tell them that there
will need to be some adjustments made. Enlist their help with
ideas to earn income or cut expenses.

Being prepared for the worst will make you sleep a little better
while times are good.

About the Author

Terry Rigg is the author of Living Within Your Means - The Easy
Way http://www.homemoneyhelp.com/ebookadpage.html and editor
of The FREE Budget Stretcher Newsletter and Budget Stretcher
web site http://www.homemoneyhelp.com. He has 25 years of
experience counseling individuals and families concerning their
personal finances.