3 Times in Your Life You May Need Money Fast, And How to Get It*

It’s the middle of the summer holidays and I’m broke. Usually I save a percentage of my money earned every month for tax and holidays, nope, not this month. Entertaining a 7 year old during the school holidays when it’s raining every single day and you live in a small town, as well as keeping her fed, is hard. I honestly thought it would get easier the older she got, but it’s actually getting harder. Factor in the cost of her school uniform and her new dance uniform on top of this. Ahh, I could scream. Money is by far the most stressful part of being an adult. Not being a parent, not keeping a job, balancing your money.

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Although keeping LM busy in the summer is getting harder, she’s also getting older which means I can explain to her that I don’t have money to do something every day and she understands. So I keep budgeting and do things when we can. However, this isn’t always the case. There will be times in your adult life where you need to get money for an expense you hadn’t considered or one you unfortunately can’t meet due to other life expenses. Here are an example of three and how you can solve them;

Your Car Breaks Down
Running a car is expensive. I know this because I’ve looked at the cost in great detail to see if it’s even worth getting a car. In the end I decided that I’d rather walk everywhere and go on holiday than run one. However, for most people, it’s a necessary be it for work, general getting about or doing the school run. If you live on a tight monthly budget you’ll keep in mind your insurance, fuel and when you need to do your MOT, but often you don’t have any money for when things go wrong.

Solve it by getting a short term loan. Not all loans are scary, some are necessary and can help you out when you’re in a tight spot. Getting a short term loan you can pay off in the next few months can be a life line your car needs and can help you get back on the road quickly.

You Need a New Home Appliance
There are some home appliances you can live without, kettle goes, boil the water in a pan. Dishwasher goes, wash by hand. But if you washing machine, cooker or fridge freezer goes, they’re going to need replaced ASAP. Of course the first thing you do is check if you can get one on finance. A lot of stores such as Very and even Argos offer you the chance to pay for white goods over a long period, however, that’s only if you’re eligible. If you’re not, you’re going to have to find a way to get the money another way.

Solve it by having a clear out. When I need money fast I always have a clear out and sell things on local Facebook Groups or Gumtree. I find this so much faster than listing on eBay and it’s also better for larger items as you can arrange delivery or collection in your area. You know what they say “one man’s trash, another man’s treasure.”

Your Holiday Balance is Due
This one is a bit of a first world problem but I have had it happen to me. You book a holiday months in advance thinking you have enough time to pay it off. However as the date looms closer expenses pop up and you don’t save as much as you can then the balance is due. You don’t want to cancel your trip because a) you need the break and b) you know you can afford it you just need an extra month to pay but at the same time you don’t have that luxury.

Solve it by talking to a family member. I know this isn’t for everyone. Not everyone is lucky enough to have a supportive family that will help you out. But if you do it’s worth swallowing your pride and talking to them. I feel truly blessed every day my parents want to help me live my best life.

Solve it by taking on some extra hours at work. If you are one of those who isn’t lucky enough to have a supportive family who is in a position to help. Go to your boss and ask for any extra hours going. You’ll be glad you did when you’re lying on the beach in the sun sipping a cocktail or two.

We all want to be responsible adults with our money in check and in control of our lives, but anyone can be blind sided with an expense they didn’t budget for. It sucks but it’s nothing to be ashamed of, adulthood is hard to navigate!