How to Live on Unemployment
Everyone who has ever lost a job knows that it is much harder to find a job than to work. Working's a snap compared to job-hunting. Almost no one would choose unemployment over employment just for the dubious benefit of receiving some small percentage of his or her salary for a short period of time, contingent upon regularly proving s/he is actually looking for work. The characterization of unemployment (and for that matter welfare) recipients as lazy is a myth, and an insidious one at that.
If you find yourself trying to survive on such benefits while maintaining enough energy to get up and out in search of gainful employment, you are probably somewhat frightened. Your bills add up to more than your income, and yet to be considered, much less hired, you must be clean, neatly and appropriately dressed and energetic enough to make a better impression on a prospective employer than all of your competitors, who may well be applying while still employed elsewhere (or even within the same company).
There is no money tree to shake, and bank robbery is illegal, but there are ways to make your money last longer... hopefully long enough to get you through rough times. Here are a baker's dozen ideas:
1. Do not be afraid or ashamed to use the resources that are available to people in your situation. You have paid unemployment tax and the money you are now receiving is likely less than you've shelled out. Apply as soon as you can, be honest, and do what is asked of you: look for work, and prove you've done so. If you're unable to work, you should be applying for your local version of welfare, not for unemployment.
2. Food stamps may be available even if you receive unemployment benefits. Find out how to apply for them and do so quickly. If you have dependents, you may be entitled to other benefits as well; ask!
3. Food shelves serve many neighborhoods. Find out how they work (they're not all the same) and when they're open. Take what you need and leave behind what you do not. If you wish to donate later, when you're working again and flush, remember that food shelves get special discounts and can make a dollar go farther than you can, so donate money rather than food if you have a choice.
4. Find theFare For Allequivalent in your state. Fare for All is the Minnesota incarnation of this cooperative food program, and provides staples significantly below market prices to anyone who cares to participate. The program(s) in your state may operate differently. One way to find out what exists where you are is to check out your local welfare office even if you're not receiving welfare benefits; there is often a great deal of literature set out for those who are, and much of it is offered to a wider population than just those on welfare.
5. Shop for food where the best coupons are offered. Good coupons do not just offer money off or twofers; good coupons reduce the price of a product to BELOW the price of a competing product. Remember too that a coupon for a product you don't need does not save you as much money as not buying the product at all.
6.Aldiis a German-based food distribution company with grocery stores all over the U.S. as well as the UK. Its selection is limited compared to that in a typical supermarket, but prices on what they DO have are much lower, sometimes by half.
7. If you need clothing in order to search for a job, or for your growing family, find a thrift store that offers clean clothing (some are not so picky!) and only purchase clothing that can be washed; dry cleaning is expensive. You can pick up almost anything you would need for your household, from dishes to needle and thread, from door knobs to pillow cases, at a good thrift store. You may find one that services your faith, or a charity you favor, or select one on the basis of what it offers and how low its prices are. Look for tag and calender specials.
8. Dollar stores, too, sell useful items, often including food (albeit not fresh food), for a dollar per item, and in some cases (such as packets of sauce or gravy), more than one item per dollar. Beware of so-called dollar stores, such as Family Dollar, that charge more than a dollar for an item!
9. Entertain yourself and your family for free. Especially in the summer, free outdoor concerts abound in many towns. Picnic areas offer a free place to "eat out." You may be able to find a nonprofit music venue that gives free tickets in exchange for volunteer work. In addition, your own home can be a music venue. Sing! It's free!
10. Recycle containers; repair and hand down clothing; jazz up leftovers with new sauce. Stretch the use of items you might otherwise throw away, to stretch your budget.
11. Find out if your utility company has a program to reduce your cost or rebate part of your payment, based on need. Then find out how to qualify and how to apply, and do so before the application deadline.
12. Join the family plan of a cellular phone company such asTracfone, which charges ten bucks for the first line and five for each line after that. The free minutes you get are minimal (although they're doubled if you buy one of their phones) so you will have to budget them.
13. If you're still in a bind, sit down and decide upon the consequences - and the TIMING of those consequences - of delaying payment of certain bills. Which creditors charge late fees? Which ones will shut off your utilities, and which ones will take your home away, and when? See if you can reduce services or negotiate a discount on services; many phone companies will reduce charges for landlines if you have proof you're receiving financial aid. Cable TV companies have special promotions. Pay the bills you must, but COMMUNICATE with those companies you cannot pay. You may be granted time you otherwise would not have. And who knows... they may be hiring!
