Do you think living on a single income stream is a curse? The reason for you to be still happy is that some amount of money is at least coming into your household. You are not cut off from the supply of cash completely.
Sailing through the living expenses of every month is possible even with limited money. You just need to learn some crucial skills on how to manage expenses with the available resources. Maybe, your kids are small and your spouse has decided to stay back at home to take care of the family.
Since your wife or husband is not going out to earn money directly, it does not mean their contribution towards the family should go unnoticed. Here, you must not focus on the money aspect only, as they are putting in effort to nurture a family. The best thing you should both do at this situation is to accept the reality and do your best to manage everything.
There are financial strategies that can make your transition smooth. You must follow them sincerely or else a debt trap might await you. Then, it would be difficult for you to navigate the ongoing situation.
This is because your credit scores might get blemished. External help in the form of unsecured loans for bad credit might be obtained for once only. Borrowing time and again might not be possible.
Read through this blog to find out how you can live well despite managing with a single income source.
An overview of financial strategies to survive with a single income
Living on a single stream of income is not difficult when your expenses do not fluctuate. Besides, it is crucial that expenses remain almost uniform for every month. When you spend money on lesser things, a single income will not give you nightmares.
However, with the expansion of your family, you must pay special attention on how you should spend money. You will have some financial milestones to work as well. Besides, some constant payouts will demand a consistent cash flow from your end.
In this situation, implement a few strategies to get a grip on expenses and navigate finances smoothly.
· Be an old school and start budgeting
Some of you might perceive budgeting as a boring process. According to you, following this process would mean sacrificing all your desires. First, you must get a reality check.
It is that whether you are in a position to fulfil all your dreams and expectations with single income. If yes, you should not be here as you must be financially disciplined already. Now, if you are struggling already and not able to fulfil your aspirations, budgeting can help.
It may happen if your financial life is not organised. Budget plan will help you sort your income and expenses. This way, you can have a clearer idea on how much money you earn and need to meet your usual necessities.
Budgeting lets you understand if your earnings are sufficient or not. It does not matter if you have a single income source. The amount of money you make at the end of the month is what is essential and not the streams through which you are making.
Possibly, you are getting good salary which should be adequate. Thus, the focus should be on the income and not the income stream only.
· Revise some expenses if needed
Now, it might happen that your expenses exceed your earnings. You blame your single source of income for this disparity. In this situation, you need to strictly handle your expenses.
Review your expenses very carefully to understand which are important and which can be stopped right now. There must some payouts which can be discontinued. The amount you spend as entertainment expenses can be reviewed and adjusted.
Not all the subscriptions will be necessary for you. Besides, if you have been a member of the gym and renew your subscription every month, this can be adjusted. Start exercising at home so that you can save some money for other important purposes.
Do not follow a strict rule of having a full-fledged vacation every year. If your financial situation does not permit, visit somewhere nearby during the holidays. These are some of the payouts that are not mandatory.
· Do not allow debts to flourish
Debts are a critical element that can only increase your financial burden. When you are living on single income, your aim should be to stay away from debts as much as possible. However, there might be situations when you might have to take out debts.
Prioritise their payments so that further debts do not rack up because of delayed or non-payments. Thus, you can use your budget plan to have a separate room for paying off that is still unpaid. You must monitor the status of debts from time to time so that you can have a grip on them.
Do not ignore them as you cannot escape them. If you keep them unattended, they will cause fatal harm to your finances.
· Work on having an emergency fund
This might seem like an unachievable target. However, with financial planning, you can definitely make a way for creation of emergency fund.
You can start with a small amount as having a cash reserve that can help you during crisis is crucial. Never miss an opportunity to save money as this will count only.
The bottom line
When living on a single income stream, you always face the fear of not having enough cash during a crisis. However, you might come across one-time solutions like doorstep loans. The best part is that you can receive the approved sum of money directly at your home.
These loans do not involve any bank account and can be a hassle-free option of getting external financial help. You cannot rely on loans or debts to overcome any financial challenge. At the end of the day, you have to learn ways to manage your expenses with even a single source of income.
Otherwise, you will get stuck in a debt loop and will never be able to eliminate it at any cost. Financial planning is essential to have a less stressful life.