It has happened to us all at one time or another. We have miscalculated the budget and we end up with not enough money to pay the bills. Most times it is not the budget that is at fault but the number of events that has spiraled out of control and caused us to start worrying. There’s a lot of people out there who have their money income balanced to the number of dollars it will take to just pay everything at the end of the month. We, not so affectionately, call this living paycheck to paycheck. It is a precarious way to live at best; at worst it can become a nightmare. Just miss paying the mortgage one month and you get slapped with late charges. Worse, what if you have a genuine emergency during the month that requires you to spend your cash on doctor visits leaving you short when the groceries have to be bought? These kinds of things are happening with more regularity lately due to the depression we are experiencing. We can feel squeezed from every corner, which can send us into a depressed state. I guess that’s why they call it a depression.

One way to help ourselves is to budget more carefully. I know what you are thinking, that you already have everything budgeted to the last penny. Well, maybe not. Sit down with pencil and paper and go over everything that must be paid for during the month. Write down things like the mortgage (or rent), groceries, utility bills, car expenses, and other expenses, like pizza night, birthday parties, eating out in restaurants. When you write things out on paper it is easier to see where you might save a buck or two. Every time you can eliminate a pizza or a rental movie, that is money in your pocket. Maybe you can share a ride to work and save on car expenses a little. Can you make arrangements with other workers at your job so that all of you take turns doing the driving? If you can do this with four people, all of you have just cut your car expenses by eighty percent. That is, you only have to pay for your ride to work one day out of five (and so do the other people) and that saves a large chunk of change! With a little creative thinking you would be pleasantly surprised at how much money you can save every week.

Another way to prevent a potential financial disaster at the end of the month is by getting a small loan. These items are called cash advances, or payday loans. They are unsecured loans for small amounts of money just to get you through the rough spots in the month. You must pay back the loan (and some fees) when you get your next paycheck. To qualify for these types of loans you must have a steady income, an active bank account, a decent credit history, and you must fill out an application. There are plenty of websites dedicated to payday loans (such as www.PaydayMyWay.com) that make the process fairly easy with step-by-step instructions. When you submit the application online the website connects you with lenders who deal with this type of loan. It is possible to get cash into your bank within a day of applying. So, when you find yourself short, this is a good way to keep the wolf from the door. Be aware that the lender charges a small fee for the loan, but hey, this might be better than getting into trouble with the mortgage company. Besides, the terms of the loan state that your loan payment is due at your next paycheck so it is not something that will linger.

A third way to ease the woes that can descend upon us is to try to increase the money you get from your employment. Sometimes you can ask for a raise – and get it – other times you may have to move on to get a better paycheck. Of course, in these depressing times, if you have a job at all, tread lightly; you don’t want to jeopardize what you already possess. Each person’s situation is different. Look into working more hours, or maybe you can get a second job, or a part time job doing something menial. After all, this is not a second career, this is just something to put a few bucks in your pocket in case you need it.