A financial emergency is an unexpected expense that often entails huge amounts in which, if you’re unable to pay, can have immediate and serious repercussions. It’s exactly because of this that people have a separate ‘emergency fund’ that’s separate from their savings or retirement fund, so it can be used only during financial emergencies.
One of the most common financial emergencies is a job loss, which, if you don’t have any savings or emergency fund, means that you may end up not having anything to eat or can result in you losing your home and other assets. Next would be emergency expenses right after a natural or man-made disaster (earthquake, cyclone, or fire) that destroys your home, in which you’ll either need to pay for repairs or even temporarily relocate depending on the extent of the damage. And of course, the biggest financial emergency would undoubtedly be bankruptcy.
So, if you find yourself in a financial emergency, you’ll want to get access to cash as soon as possible. Luckily, there are a lot of ways you can quickly and legally get cash:
#1 Collect Loans
If there’s any point in time where you’ll want to collect any money owed to you, now would be the time. Make of list of everyone who’s borrowed from you, and the amount they owe, and start collecting. This can be quite tricky, and some of you may not even be comfortable about pushing someone to pay their loaned amounts, but you can use your financial emergency as a tool, in this case, to motivate you to do so and also to help convince your borrower(s) to pay. However, you have to remember that, more often than not, you may not be able to collect the entire amount (especially if it’s a big one), but it’s still favorable that you collect part if not the entire amount as soon as you can — better something than nothing, after all.
#2 Sell, Sell, Sell
Sell anything that you don’t ‘need.’ Start with personal belongings that are of high value and are easy-to-sell; after all, you need to get that cash fast. Examples of these are jewelry, gadgets, and appliances. You should also consider making a garage sale, or use garage sale apps, eBay, social media to sell your items. You can even sell gift cards, travel or event tickets, and collector items (like figurines, comics, and so on).
#3 All-Credit-Type Loan Options
If you’re in a financial pickle and need cash quick, but you don’t have favorable credit to get a loan from a bank, fret not — some companies can provide you a loan regardless of your credit standing. Some of these are ‘online credit card’ loans, online installment loans, and short-term emergency loans. Although, be forewarned that most of these lower loan amounts and usually have higher interest, so make sure to do your research and choose the best one which suits you. Alternatively, if you own a vehicle, instead of selling it for a relatively small amount to immediately get cash, you can look for local title loan places in Utah that use your vehicle as collateral for a favorable loan amount and interest.
#4 Get an Extra Job
Got a car? Try becoming a driver for ridesharing or carpooling apps like Uber or Lyft. Got skills in graphics or writing? Apply as a freelance artist or writer. If you’ve lost your job and need to get one quick, or if you need to supplement your current earnings and get a job that pays fast, there are a lot of options for you, you just need to look. Just remember not to overwork yourself, as you may end up getting sick and hospitalized, which is another financial emergency on its own.
Conclusion
Financial emergencies can happen anytime, but luckily, even if you’re not prepared for one (i.e., you don’t have savings or an emergency fund), you can follow these tips to get cash quick and legally.