How can an unemployed survive the recession without financial hiccups?

 The UK recorded its second-highest fall in real wage growth since 2001. And as per National statistics, it stands at 4.2% today.

It represents the clear financial deterioration amid the rising cost of living standards. A person’s wages fail to keep up with the rising price, according to October 2022 stats. One of the most astonishing facts is- the unemployed are not seeking jobs either. Long-term pandemic sickness and work-from-home module.

Today, 2.5 million individuals are out of a job owing to ill health or a confused state of mind. As a result, vacancies dropped to 1.2 million jobs which were 1.3 million earlier. With BOE concluding one of the longest recessions in 41 years, it is high time for jobless individuals to take charge of their finances. The blog states some financial management tips for the unemployed in a recession

6 ways to explore opportunities to save more before a stressful recession

Unemployment is bound to rise manifolds until 2025. It could mean an imbalanced economy and higher prices.  With these economic headwinds, unemployed individuals must take certain steps to ensure a savings bucket. It would help counter the unexpected without panicking.

1)      Take stock of your financial properties

One of the hardest parts of a recession is not knowing what may happen next. That’s why ensuring a clear understanding of your available finances and assets is important. To begin with, ask yourself the below questions:

  •  How much cash do you have in your hand?
  • What may happen to your jobless benefits in a recession?
  • Would you still receive it in a recession? If not, do you have a backup?
  • What are my basic living expenses?
  • Do you have any major life events coming up, like weddings or anniversary celebrations? Can the celebration wait?

Anticipate these aspects and ensure a sufficient backup for nearly 6 months. In unemployment, it may be difficult for you to figure things out.

However, saving the minimal and meeting essentials sometimes stands at a sharp financial edge. It leaves one with limited flexibility. What if you encounter medical urgency and need urgent money? In unemployment, tapping your pockets and money in the bank could be the slightest possibility. Some things can’t wait for fulfillment; check the unemployed bad credit loans in the UK.

These loans strictly help out-of-job individuals fetch the instant cash facility. Book your appointment and attend the medical urgency the same day, hassle-free. You can use these without worrying about credit score constraints or income. You can qualify for these at relevant income proof.

2)      Focus on clearing as many debts as you can

Unemployment means – stopping debt payments and bills. However, it is too good to be true. Recession may make it worse for you. Channel a plan to arrange and dedicate some portion of your limited income to outstanding debts.

Although it could be difficult to lead a minimal lifestyle, you must figure out a plan. You can do so by tapping the dividends and using these for the bill and debt payments. If you are on any grant or scholarship, check which other grants can you qualify for. Here are other possibilities to earn extra:

  •      Rentals are costly in the UK. If you have a space to rent, you may earn a handsome income
  •      Place a hardship application to your lender if you cannot continue the loan payments
  •      Work out a credit card payment plan with the provider. Regulate your finances by freezing your accounts.
  •       Update your healthcare policy provided by the employer, and use the saved amount for the bill and debt payments.

3)      Search futuristic career opportunities

 Recession impact multiple industry growth and prospects. Thus, if you are unemployed and seeking job opportunities, analyze the growing industries. Figure out whether your skills align with the shortlisted job opportunities. If yes, then apply for jobs in these sectors. Take the below measures to begin with:

·         Post your job requirement on relevant platforms
·         Increase your networking efforts
·         Update yourself on the new-age skills in the respective field
·         Update your resume with the need-of-the-hour skills
·         Always have a side gig, such as freelancing and affiliate marketing, to ensure a cushion

4)      Work on improving your emergency fund

Within the current economy, job and pay cuts are normal. It implies one would barely have anything to count upon in emergencies. Thus, it is ideal to have an emergency fund. If you are unemployed, you can start with a minimal amount—the one you can comfortably dedicate towards the same without breaking the bank.

And if you have one, tapping an emergency fund in nearly every situation would empty it to nothing. Using a percentage to survive unemployment is okay, but one must build it soon. As soon as you grab the opportunity of the same, dedicate a slightly flexible amount post paying necessary debts and arranging for necessities.

5)      Eliminate unnecessary expenses from the budget

While you may be living on the bare minimum, reviewing your expenses is still a good idea. Sometimes, even in unemployment, one often forgets to track finances. It could be due to immense psychological strain, mental pressure, or exhaustion from responsibilities. Please do not lose the financial track as it could impact the credit score and the bottom line hard. Slash of costs like-

  •  Continuous streaming hours
  •  Unnecessary subscription
  •  Sell off a product you hardly use if it is in good condition.
  • Switch to electricity-saving equipment
  • Shop with a list and avoid buying anything that you hardly need

6)      Have a practical view of your investments

While many investors panic and sell the maximum of their potential holdings at a loss, you must think again. Thus, it is not a wise move to act on impulse. Instead, ensure a clear understanding of the market. The stock market fluctuates in recession.

It becomes highly volatile during the phrase. If you have many long-term investments, the best way to deal with the situation is – to ensure patience. If not, research the best move regarding potential investments in a recession. You would get ample ways to deal with it without panicking. If in doubt, seek expert assistance.

Bottom line

As an unemployed, you may find dealing with a recession hard. However, you may dominate your finances well by ensuring the best knowledge of your finances and making the best use of the available resources. These are some tested financial management tips for the unemployed in a recession that you can also try to build wealth from scratch.

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