When You Need Money Who Do You Turn To First?

There's no-one for me to ask. My family expect me to manage on my own...and I do. I don't go anywhere, or do anything...except to the doctor or shopping or when I do my volunteering work. I don't eat out, get takeaway or smoke or drink. My meagre amounts of income remain in the bank and I only use what I need. I save the rest for just such situations as you describe. I also budget and put aside money each week towards annual and monthly bills. Doing all this means I don't have to ask for help. A few years ago I did some work on my home and needed to borrow a rather large amount from the bank so I took out a mortgage on my home. The repayments are small and manageable as I pay each week. I have also allowed for fluctuations in interest rates by paying extra each week. Perhaps you could speak to your bank?

Hi Tina Sorry to hear with all going bad with your health your bills have suffered. Sadly for my boyfriend and I we do not have anyone here who can help and or be willing to. We strictly rely on each other and prayers and always hope that at minimal we can get by. I do hope your church would be willing to help, at least with food if you needed it. We do not have family here and therefore can't help and most we do have elsewhere are in such predicaments too. Do you have family who can help? At least until you get back up on your feet again. I do hope things get easier as at the moment it seems there is so much going on and you can use some help.

When I was desperate for money I sold stuff. I was in the middle of a divorce with expensive attorney fees and sold everything I could--CDs and books on Amazon, jewelry (not much but it helped) on eBay, all my tablature (music transcriptions for guitarists) that would sell on eBay, knick knacks, clothing, etc. all went on eBay. I hated giving up all the beautiful antiques and artwork I'd collected over the past 30 years and I even parted with some family heirlooms--it wasn't a lot and I still miss them but they helped keep my head above water. I ended up with very little but the bills got paid, my children were fed and sheltered and my husband got his divorce and I was able to protect my interests. So look around and see if there is anything you can sell. Take your lifestyle down to the bare bones and get rid of the rest. It's painful but it'll let you be independent for awhile longer. Call your debtors. Tell them your situation and try to make payment arrangements. You might lose your house but remember, it's just a house and there are plenty of rentals that are cheap right now. And also remember that home is in the heart, not in a property. There is some gov't program to help people who are behind in their mortgage payments, I don't know what it's called but you can find it and might qualify. Do you have a smartphone? Give it up! For $15 a month you can have a Net10 phone with 150 minutes a month and buy extra if you need it but just how important is it to be available 24/7? You shouldn't be talking on the phone at work anyway, or while driving or shopping. Everything can wait till you get home. And if you have to have a cell phone, get rid of your land line if you haven't already. It's cheaper, though, to have a land line and give up the cell phones. I'm sure you probably don't have HBO and the like but if you do, get rid of it. Look around and see what other things you can cut back or get rid of. After you do all this, then you can ask friends, church or others for help. I'm sorry this is happening to you, I know how painful it is. But remember that it's temporary and you'll get through it.

Not that I recommend it, but when I couldn't afford to pay all the bills, I would pay the important ones (rent and utilities as well as food) and leave the rest go. My credit is so bad right now because of that it isn't funny. I avoid trying to go to agencies and my family is in as bad of shape financially as I am so I just let things go. Have a great week!!!

Well, If I don't have I try to do my best to where I get some which is not bad or wrong with someone else and simply ask first the help of our almighty God, about so that he can helps me to find...

For us it is typically my mother that we will talk to about some help when we are struggling. She isn't able to do a lot for us, but over the course of time we've been able to help her out and she has helped us out as well. However, there was a time in my mother's life where she was struggling and my siblings and myself were too young to have money of our own and she called the pastor at our church. They weren't able to help a lot but they did help a little bit. However, I would say that it wouldn't hurt to call the companies and see if they are able to work out some hardship repayments for you.

I would gather you would pay the bills if you had the money. I pay mine through the bank , but I was wondering whether your church has a deacon fund. If you would talk to your elders or presbytrs, they might talk to the deacons who would help you out. I do not know about bills, but they would probably arrange for some to bring over meals, housecleaning, etc. so that the money you would have used for food and housecleanng, would go to the bills. You would need help in that regard.

There are places that give emergency aid even if you are working...would going to the Salvation army for food to get you by help out with the grocery bill? In our state you can even get help with emergency medical bills if need be....my son's ex had to have surgery without insurance and they helped out quite a bit...maybe cutting back on the groceries by getting to a food shelf might give you a bit extra cash toward bills.

I know where you are coming from, I just got home from the Hosp this past week and don't have energy to write checks and mail the bills out. I don't have a problem at this time of being short on cash but if I did I would ask my family for help first, then work on up to the public help agencies. I try to plan ahead for times when I will be short of cash be laying aside a few dollars each pay period for such times.

Hi Tina, there's a few that's been suggested to me when I was looking for help to raise the money for my parents roof which I'm working on still however, I'm passing on the information to you and here they are. Not referral links http://www.wishuponahero.com http://www.chipin.com http://www.modestneeds.org Other than that, we don't have any other place to turn because my family doesn't have it to help if we were to be in dire straits. However, these sites help people in need of help so check them out in hopes something will happen for you and your husband. Good luck!

I think your church could help you with food and you could utilize the money you would regularly spend on food, or a portion of it, toward your bills. I used to have my mom I could turn to and she always seemed to have some money set aside although she lived on a shoe string. I now have a loaning institution here locally that will lend a humbling amount but it helps in a pinch. It really depends on how much you need. Loans are not much help because you end up paying back so much more than your loan. I would wonder if you have a option in your work insurance that lets you save for medical emergencies. I can't think what the account is called. Or, if either of you have an IRA or 401K. You could barrow from that. Or if either of you have life insurance.

When i am in need of money and have none of my own, I will usually turn to family for some support. My mother is the first person that will come to my aid, then i would ask my sister. I don't like to ask in laws unless it is a desperate situation. they are usually more critical of my financial needs.

I woud go to your Pastor and see if they can help you with the utilty bills. I know my husband and I have had to do that before. I would also see if they could help you with food as well. I would also mak phone calls to the companies asking if they could set up payment arrangements (some will if this is the first time). I would also look into the Salvtion Army to see if they can help out. I wish I could help you out, but I am strapped myself.

if i am in need of money... all i have to do is to pray and to it on my own first... i really have to find something to cover-up what i need. i need to find a solution for my self first, like if am a working person ill ask for an advance payment and working overtime or finding an extra job... and making a promissory note to the company that i will promise to pay those bills.. and/or working part-time for the hospital to lessen the bill.. and if those things are not meet it is the time for me to ask help in my families and friends... and in every thing that i do not miss to talk to the God Almighty... ... your pastor can help you with your physiological needs

When I need money, the first thing I do is whatever I can to market the books that my husband and I have published. This way we are making more money, but people aren't actually giving it to us. It's certainly not free money, but it's not a loan either. We make a profit, they get books!

You just got a Prius, right? Can you sell that and find a reliable car that gets okay gas mileage? Of course the older cars are cheaper, but that probably means worse gas mileage. There might be a happy medium. But I can't remember if you're the one who got the Prius in the first place. Our church is really limited in what they can do as well. I think mine could maybe give me a one time donation, but that's probably it. Have you thought of your local news? Sometimes on my news I see them interview people who've gone through a lot and who are working hard to help themselves, but need a little extra boost to get through.

Here in Australia we have organisations such as The Salvation Army and Saint Vinnie’s Society who help people in situation such as yours. I hope you have similar places in your country. I appreciate what you are going through because my family and I are in the same position. The money that comes in just covers our living expenses and bills so any extra expenses would cause us a great deal of financial pain too. We have credit cards for emergencies but they still have to be paid back. Do you have a Social Security Department that may help you? I will keep you in my prayers; it’s bad enough suffering health issues let alone financial ones too! My heart goes out to you and I pray you will receive the help you need and that your health improves.

Luckily there are a lot of programs to help low income people. You could go to a food bank to get food for one. Your utility companies may have programs also, call them and see. There is LIHEAP which helps you pay your gas bill. I get that, but I am not sure if it is federal or if it is from the state. There are a lot of programs for the disabled also. In Pa. there is a program that helps you pay your taxes or rent but it comes from the lottery so it is probably Pa. There is even a program to pay your medical bills with no interest and a home improvement loan. I would advise you to call your local welfare office and see what is available.

Whether you find solutions or not,best way is to trust up on God's help which you don't know from where it will come.Going out to your Pastor is the best way out.No matter their resources are limited, but he can appeal to the people on your behalf during the masses. I believe it will certainly help because somebody out there attending in the house of God, may very well opt to lend you a helping hand.

I usually ask for help with my older brother. He is so generous to us even to my daughter and I really admire him. He is so helpful to anyone and he wouldn't turn you down. He didn't do it to me. Every time I need some money, he is always there. He's like an angel to me. He's my savior.