Remember prepping isn’t just about preparing for cataclysmic events; it’s about being prepared for whatever dangers or pitfalls are around the corner.
While the loss of a job may not be as sensational as asteroids, EMP’s, or a zombie apocalypse, it is the one thing that almost everyone reading this will face at some point in their life.
Preparing yourself and your family to survive and thrive during a time of unemployment is something that everyone should be prepared for.
Ask yourself the following questions….
- If you lost your job today, how long could you go without a paycheck?
- How much food do you have on hand, and how long will it last?
- What steps do you need to take to ensure your families survival?
How To Survive A Job Loss
1) Stack Money Fast
Being prepared means having a healthy savings account and we decided to try his baby steps plan. Go over your finances and make certain you have enough to get you through an emergency.
Here are a few Survival resources for you:
- Dave Ramsey has solid advice for taking control of your finances. I recommend his basic book, The Total Money Makeover for an easy-to-follow plan and a quick, motivational read.
2) Stockpile Food
Many communities have some type of food co-op program where food is exchanged for volunteering hours or food is deeply discounted. The local university offered in-season produce grown by the students at $90 a year.
Nothing causes you to evaluate your food storage than having to use it. Store food you are going to eat and enjoy. This includes cake mix!
3) Slash Luxuries
Reduce your monthly payments by cutting frivolous expenses. Look at every single monthly payment that comes out of your bank account and slash relentlessly. Consider cutting the following:
- Cable
- Cell phones
- Home phones
- Gym memberships
- Restaurant meals
- Unnecessary driving
- Entertainment such as trips to the movies, the skating rink, or the mall
4) Add New Income Streams
You know those people who tell you that it’s easy to find a new job if you wouldn’t be such a snob? Ignore them. The job market of today is not the job market of a decade ago. Jobs are few and far between, and good jobs are as elusive as unicorns in Central Park.
You may need to look at creating your own streams of income, like:
- Create an online business
(Free at the time this article was published) - Using your expertise from your former job to Work as a consultant
- Doing various small jobs
- Create a home-based business with a low start-up cost (Now’s not the time to make a large investment)
- Use creative skills to make things to sell
- Provide a service. Maybe you can cook, sew, repair things, or build things.
Lots of people can’t and will be willing to pay someone who can
Related Post: 9 Ways You Can Make An Extra $1,000 A Month So You Can Become Financially Free From The Grid Faster
5) Sell Stuff
All that stuff you’ve been meaning to go through in the basement just might be the key to keeping a roof over your head. It’s time to start an Ebay account
, have a yard sale
, or get on
Craigslist
(free at the time of publication) and start selling things that have just been sitting there for a while.
Your trash might be another person’s treasure. Instead of regifting those things in your attic, sell them so they can become someone else’s clutter.
You’d be surprised how much money you can make while decluttering your home.
6) Faith
Prayer helps put things in their proper prospective and reminds us of the blessings we have been given.
For those who are not religious, it is important to take time meditate or connect with one’s self. There is much to be thankful for, even in trying times. Center yourself and be open to opportunities and possibilities.
Great ideas and solutions can come when the world is quiet and we are alone. Write down any ideas, even if they sound a bit crazy. They can transform into brilliant ideas.
Conclusion
As you can see loosing your job is NOT the end of the world.
You can prepare yourself and your family to survive and thrive during a time of unemployment by following there steps.
What other advices would you recommand to others in time of unemployment? We want to know your thoughts here.
