How to Get Money Help

When you're unemployed or otherwise short of money, a sense of desperation can quickly set in. If you feel overwhelmed, stop and take full stock of your situation. There are probably people in your life who are willing to help you. There are also government agencies that you can turn to in order to provide you with the basics of survival if you need it. No matter how weak the economy is, there's still a basic safety net in place that you can use if you choose to.

• 1

  Write a list of all your family and friends that might be willing to provide you with cash, help you reduce your costs by allowing you to move in with them, feed you or give you a loan of petty cash. Explain your financial situation to each of these people, being open about what you're doing. As long as you're honest and don't abuse trust, you should be able to count on help from people who care about you.

• 2

  Research local charities in your area that may be willing to provide assistance to the unemployed and disabled. Cash assistance will be difficult to gain access to, but medical care, food, and even housing may be possible to find if you need it.

• 3

  Contact a social worker in your state through your state department of social services. They will be able to assist you in coordinating which government programs you might be eligible to take advantage of. Social workers specialize in ensuring that the poor or temporarily needy can get the assistance that they're entitled to. Direct cash assistance or public housing will be challenging to gain access to unless you are a single parent.

• 4

  Look for temporary jobs and other relatively easy-to-access forms of employment to derive some income while you look for more permanent employment. You can also do odd jobs, such as working for your landlord in return for reduced rent payments, in order to help you make ends meet.