Support Your Family While Being Out of Work

Being out of work is tough. Sometimes it’s a temporary situation, whether because you’re ill or injured or have lost your job, and other times it might be something more long-term or even permanent. If you have a family, the anxiety of being unable to earn and money can be even greater than if you only have yourself to support.

While you may be trying to get back to work as soon as possible, you need to do something in the meantime to ensure you can stay afloat. When you’re waiting for things to change or if you’re preparing for a situation where you can’t work in the future, consider these things.

This is a contributed post and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of Meet The Harris Family.

Take Out Insurance

If you are already out of work due to an injury or illness, it’s too late to take out insurance to protect your income. However, if you’re trying to prepare for any eventuality that may occur in the future, you may want to consider the option of insurance. It can help to protect you if anything happens and you are unable to work. As well as disability insurance, you should consider life insurance, which will help your family if you die.

Other types of insurance can be useful for you and your family too. Long-term care insurance can pay for costs if you become chronically ill or disabled. Of course, adequate health insurance for your whole family will also help to protect you.

Make Sure You’re Getting the Money You Deserve

One of the first things to do if you’re unable to work is to check that you’re receiving any money that you’re eligible for or entitled to. As well as making a claim with any relevant insurance policies, it’s also a good idea to check if you are eligible for any benefits or financial assistance. Social Security benefits might be available if you have a disability, and there are also other types of support. These include the Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program (SNAP), Temporary Assistance for Needy Family (TANF) and other benefits that might be available depending on the state.

As well as applying for help from the state, consider whether someone else could be required to help you out with your finances. If you have been injured or are ill as a result of someone else’s neglect, they could be held responsible for paying some of your medical bills and other expenses relating to your illness, injury or disability. This might mean that your employer, a business, a driver or even a homeowner or private citizen could be held responsible.

If you have been in a road traffic accident, a consultation with a car accident lawyer could determine whether you have a case. Many lawyers will provide free consultations or may not even charge you until they have won your case for you. Other types of accident and even some illnesses could be the result of someone else’s negligence too and could be open to a successful lawsuit.

Consider Alternative Ways of Earning

You may not be able to continue with your normal job, at least for the time being, but you might be able to find some alternative ways of bringing in money. If you’re thinking of how else you might be able to earn some income, however much it is, you should be considering how you can use your skills. While it might be tempting to leave it down to luck and hope you can win some money or make good on an investment, it’s smarter to think about how you can earn money honestly.

Even if you are currently not able to physically do much, there are many ways to earn money with a computer or a phone. You might be able to use your skills to provide some kind of online or virtual service, for example. However, you don’t necessarily have to set up a full-time business. There are also options for making just a little money on the side, from selling things on eBay to completing surveys online. Even a small amount of extra money can be useful.

Borrow Money If Necessary

Borrowing money when you’re out of work isn’t always the best idea, and it can sometimes be difficult too. However, if you only need to borrow money for a short period before you’re able to get back to work, it could be a good way to bridge the gap in your income. You could consider taking out an equity loan on your home or refinancing it. This can make it easier to borrow money if you’re not currently working, although it’s always important to be careful when securing a loan against your home. You might also be able to borrow money against a 401k or insurance plan or even cash out on one of them.

Ask Family and Friends for Support

Our family and friends can sometimes be the people who we are most reluctant to ask for help, although they’re also the ones who most want to help us. It can be difficult to swallow your pride and ask for help, but it can also be a smart way to ensure you can support your family. If you’re reluctant to accept financial help, you can insist on drawing up a proper loan and repayment schedule. You could also consider accepting help in other ways, such as childcare or anything else that might help you to save money or get back to work.

Get Back to Work ASAP

Unfortunately, you can’t always set your own schedule for getting back to work. You might need to get healthy first, or you may be waiting for the right opportunity to come along. However, you can still create a plan to aim to get back to work as soon as you can. If you have a goal and daily objectives, you might be able to achieve what you want sooner. If you need a new job, be sure to put yourself out there and make it clear that you’re looking for work.

Being unable to work is difficult, especially when you have a family to care for. While you’re out of work, explore the solutions available to keep you going.