Not being able to find a job is scary enough. But if your unemployment benefits are about to run out, you may be feeling hopeless. While there’s no easy answer of what to do, there are some steps you can take to try and stretch your dollar and make the best of the situation.
Check with the unemployment office.
First, you should contact Florida’s unemployment office to make sure you’ve exhausted all of your unemployment extensions. If you have, there are other resources available to you, such as the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families program, to help you until you find a new job. Don’t be too proud to accept assistance if you need it. These are benefits that you helped fund out of your paycheck every week. So take advantage of them until you find a new job.
Talk to your loan officers.
Whether you have a mortgage, a car loan, a student loan, or all of the above, get in touch with your loan officers. They may be able to help you defer payments or lower your payments by renegotiating the terms of your loan until you have a consistent income again.
Create a budget.
If you haven’t already, it’s time to create a budget and limit your fixed expenses as much as possible. Cut out any unnecessary items, like regular trips to the salon. Use coupons and bargain shop whenever you can. Shop around for less expensive packages from your cell phone provider, cable company, and Internet provider.
Stick to a daily schedule.
Get up each morning at the same time, get dressed, and stick to a regular daily schedule as much as possible. Treat your job search like it’s an actual job. Plan activities and tasks for each day and set goals. But, at the end of the day, make sure you do something other than focusing on your job hunt. Watch a movie, exercise, or go out to dinner.
Avoid the bad news.
If you can, avoid reading bad news about jobless claims or foreclosure rates. Turn to something more inspiring.
Make money where you can.
You may want to consider other ways to make money during your job search. One solution is by working for a temporary staffing agency. An agency can give you access to temp jobs in Dade County that fit your schedule, so you can still go on job interviews for full-time positions. A temp job can also help you maintain your skill level during your job search.
If you’re interested in learning more about temporary employment options, please contact Future Force Personnel today. We can place you on assignment in a Dade County temp job so you can earn a paycheck and, in the meantime, we can also assist you in your hunt for a full-time position.