What’s the best way to manage your household budget after losing your job, and what can you do to cope with a loss of earnings? It’s time to review your budget and take control of your finances.
Step 1: Make a budget
Budget planner
To help you manage your money, try our free and easy-to-use Budget planner.
If you’re struggling with money, you might be avoiding looking at your accounts, but there’s no doubt that working out where you stand financially is well worth the effort.
A budget is nothing more than a list of all your income and spending.
Most people underestimate how much they actually spend.
It’s important to be honest with yourself – including everything and using accurate figures will give you the clearest view of your budget and what you need to do.
Step 2: Try to cut back
Top tip
Comparing deals on mobile phone, broadband, satellite TV and credit cards, as well as energy bills, could save £100s each year.
Work out what you can cut back on to make sure you don’t spend more than your overall household income.
This is the part most people find difficult, especially if they have young children.
But a good starting point is to divide outgoings into essential and non-essential items.
Essential items
You can save on essentials like energy bills and groceries without scrimping.
Turning the central heating down by one degree can save you around £70 each year. And will your kids really notice if you sawp to supermarket own-brand baked beans?
Find out more in our guide How to save money on household bills
Non-essentials
Non-essentials are things like gym memberships and streaming services.
Think about whether you’re making the most of them. If not, cancel them.
Even the small, non-essential items you buy each day can mount up, such as newspapers, takeaway coffee or sweets.
Put them in order of priority and cut out the least important until you’re within your budget.
Or, cut back on all of them so you can still enjoy a little bit of everything without going over your budget.
Join our Facebook group
Join our private Budgeting and Saving Facebook group for money-saving tips and support from a community of savers.
Step 3: Get your debts under control
The interest rate on debts is usually higher than the interest rate on savings.
So, if you use any savings to pay off debts, you should be better off in the long run.
Find out more our guide What to do about your debt if you lose your job
Step 4: Boost your income
Sounds simple. And if it was, everyone would be doing it.
But, with a bit of effort, there are sources of income you can tap into.
For example, did you know that if you have a spare room in your home, the first £7,500 from renting it out would be tax free?
Or, if that feels like too big a step, think about earning extra money by:
- selling unwanted possessions
- recycling mobile phones and laptops
- filling out surveys or doing market research.
Any redundancy pay you have can help replace your income for a while and help you get by.
If you have an emergency fund, this might be the time to draw on it.
Find out more in our guide Changing your career following redundancy
Step 5: Check out benefits and insurances
If you’ve lost your job, are looking for work or are on a low income, you might qualify for benefits such as Universal Credit.
Find out more, including how to claim it in our guide Universal Credit explained
Have you had to stop working or reduce your hours due to illness or disability? Then there are other benefits you might be able to claim.
Find out more in our guide What disability and sickness benefits can I claim?
You might also have insurance policies you can claim on, including:
- payment protection
- mortgage protection
- income protection.
Check your insurance policies or contact your policy provider to see if you might be able to claim.
Also, check for any critical illness cover – which will generally only pay out in the event of a life-threatening condition.
