Recession Resources

Emergency Help

I hope this list of relief organizations and articles on saving money, earning some fast cash and getting cheap groceries will help someone in need. I am really concerned by how fast local resources are drying up. My local thrift store, Ray of Hope, just had to close the cafe where they served a free meal once a week and is struggling to keep up with the demand for food from the pantry. (This is a work in progress. If you know of a good resource, please let me know. I am trying to include resources for UK and Canada readers, as well, but since I don’t live there, I may completely miss a really helpful resource.)

Groceries and Household Products

While they are really having a hard time meeting the growing demand, your local food banks still are trying to help. If you don’t have any cash, you’ll want to start there. Feeding America has a pretty comprehensive list of local food banks.

If you have a little cash, you can buy food packages through an organization like Angel Food Ministries. These organizations buy in bulk and pass the savings on to the people buying the packages, which means you can save around 50% off grocery store prices and get restaurant quality food.

If you have a little cash, a lot of time and access to coupons, you can really stretch your money a lot and can save much more than 50% off normal grocery store prices. Don’t forget to find out when your store marks things down. I get bread for around eighty cents a loaf when it is on the clearance rack and meat for around half price. (I don’t buy reduced pork or chicken, but I’ve never had a problem with beef or ground turkey bought the day before a sell by date and frozen for later use.)

If you don’t have the cash, you may qualify for government assistance. If you get food stamps, you can stretch that money a lot by using coupons along with them. (The program is now called SNAP instead of food stamps.)

Emergency Shelter Help

If you need a place to stay overnight, ask at a local church. Many of them offer temporary shelter, especially during inclement weather.

If no churches in the area are offering emergency shelter help, try the list of homeless shelters or women’s shelters. The Homeless Shelter Directory warns that shelters are often filled to capacity and have waiting lists because of the current economy and says to call first to see if there is space.

Find Cheap or Free Clothing

One of the best ways to get free clothing is to post a request on your local Freecycle list. Many people have kids’ clothes to get rid of and just can’t get to the local thrift store to drop them off. At least one or two of them should be delighted to have you pick them up and get them out of the house.

If Freecyclers in your area aren’t very active, ask your local church if you can post a request for gently used clothing. I know people in our church have always been happy to go through closets to help anyone in need.

For people with a bit of cash, thrift stores are a great option. I have been in thrift stores where half the clothing still has tags on it. Someone gives a child clothing as a present and the size is wrong or someone buys something and doesn’t get back to the store to exchange it and then donates the unused clothing. This list of thrift stores isn’t comprehensive, but it is pretty good. (Not a US resident? Try UK charity shops or this Toronto area list of thrift stores.)

Earn Some Cash Fast

For some fast cash, head to Craigslist. The gigs section routinely lists requests for people to do odd jobs, like helping someone move or painting a room. These jobs pay as soon as they’re done, which makes them a great option for someone who can’t wait a few weeks for a paycheck.

Other people, including my sister, swear by the part of Craigslist where you can list local items for sale. I’ve heard more than one person say they sold something for more than they paid for it.

Recession Proof Your Life

Even if you’re not in an emergency situation right now, it makes sense to get your finances in order and to save as much as possible during the recession. Try some of these articles, sites and tips to help you get prepared.

Learn to Live on a Budget

Buy Groceries for Less

My article on How to Save Money With Grocery Coupons gives an overview of couponing.

If you’re serious about saving money with grocery coupons, I recommend Refund Cents (affiliate link), which is the only couponing or frugal site that I pay for. Online access is $12 a year and I saved more than that in my first month. The thing I like the most is the handy printable deals spreadsheets for Walgreens, Rite Aid, etc. They make it really easy to catch all the great deals.

Don’t have an extra $12? Don’t worry. You can find pretty many good tips for free at Hot Coupon World.

By the way, one important reason to get groceries for less is your ability to create a stockpile of food. If someone loses a job or there is a local disaster, a stockpile can literally be a lifesaver. In a recent article, I talk about some stockpile basics.

Don’t have time to shop around at home or having problems making it to the store? You can sometimes save money shopping for groceries online, too.

Find a Cheap House

If you live in upper PA or the mid-West, have I got a deal for you! There are quite a few foreclosed homes for sale on eBay (affiliate link) right now and they are insanely cheap. (Click on the real estate category on the left side to narrow it down to just homes.) You do have to use caution, though, because they are being sold as is and you can’t always see inside. They are good bets for people with a handyman in the family and access to discounted building supplies.

Another option is to search for an area with cheap homes and relocate. I talk about how to do this in my article on finding cheap houses.