Despite all the best efforts to budget and implement proper money management techniques, everyone will encounter an unexpected bill from time to time. If you are lucky, the bill will be relatively small, and you might be able to use your savings to pay it off, but this is not always the case. This is why we have put together the following guide to help you when it comes to dealing with life’s unexpected expenses.

Sell Some of Your Clutter

First things first, you could always try to go through your old things to find some stuff that you don’t need or want anymore. This is arguably one of the quickest ways to make a bit of money to pay off the bill, so if you have a deadline looming, it might make sense. Depending on what you find, you could make quite a bit of cash. You can sell your things online via online marketplaces like Vinted, Depop or Facebook marketplace. Although it is worth reading the fine print to make sure you aren’t on the hook for any fees or commission. If you find collectables or antiques, it might be worth getting in touch with a local dealer or even a business like cash for gold.

Cash-in-Hand Work

Depending on the free time that you have, you might want to think about looking for a second job that pays cash-in-hand. If you take on a second job and it pays you in any other way, then you are likely to get taxed more, and it ends up not being worth it. You could start babysitting, looking for a waitressing job, walking dogs, mowing lawns, offering out handyman services, or looking for bar work; most of the time, they pay cash in hand, and you can fit the work around your schedule.

Some forms of cash-in-hand work allow you to be paid at the end of each task or shift, which can be helpful, although others make you wait a week or a month which is not ideal if you are on a deadline. Think about your current responsibilities and whether you can realistically commit yourself to the extra workload. With a second cash-in-hand job like babysitting or dog walking, you also don’t have to go through the rigmarole of quitting once the bill is paid; you can simply stop doing it.

Re-Evaluate Your Direct Debits

Many people end up forgetting to cancel their memberships after the free trial ends, or they find themselves with a lot of pointless subscriptions that they don’t even use. Take the time to go through your direct debits to decide whether they serve a purpose or not. If you are able to cancel a few of the subscriptions that you aren’t getting enough use out of, you are likely going to be able to free up some cash that you can then use to pay the bill. Once you have paid the bill, you can always reinstate the subscriptions if you have missed them.

Make Money Gambling Online

To make money gambling online, you first need to be able to have the money to put in – although some online casinos do offer free joining bonuses or deposits that you can use to make the most of the experience. If you are lucky, you can make enough money to pay your bill; however, it is not foolproof, and it should be noted that you could also lose your investment too. If you are going to try to make enough money to pay your bill by online gambling, then it is imperative that you do your research. You need to have a good understanding of the rules of the game and even what sites are best suited to your preferences. For example, https:///www.onlinecasinos.co.uk/ has great resources like reviews of casinos and a breakdown of bonuses.

Try Freelancing

Freelancing is essentially like getting a second job or doing cash-in-hand work, but you can market yourself and your skills. It all depends on how much money you need to raise for the bill and when it needs paying by. There are loads of sites online that you can list your skills on to try and procure some freelance work. You also get to dictate how much you make by working out what you want to charge. Some people opt for a flat fee; others go on a project-by-project basis or even an hourly wage. The only problem is that you aren’t guaranteed to find any work quickly. Your services could be listed for some time before anyone wants to hire you, which obviously means that if you are on a time crunch, then it doesn’t necessarily make sense to hinge the payment of your bill on this method.

Put Yourself on a Strict Budget

One of the quickest ways to free up some cash to pay your unexpected bill is simply to implement a stricter budget. Think about your current budget – or lack thereof – what do you spend your money on? Is there anywhere that you could trim the fat? A lot of people spend money on luxuries or frivolities without even necessarily realising it. Strip your budget right back. Take your bills into account; once they are paid, how much are you left with? Obviously, you still need to take living expenses like groceries or travel into account, but you should still have some left over. If you don’t have enough to pay the bill, it should at least make a dent in it and provide you with a solid start.

Summary

The fact of the matter is that unexpected bills arise, and it is hard to be prepared for them – hence the term ‘unexpected’ bill. Luckily, there are options when it comes to paying the bill. Bear in mind the advice mentioned above. Although obviously, it will depend on the size of the bill and the deadline that you have. In theory, most people should be able to use their savings, but it doesn’t always work out that way, especially if your savings are earmarked for something else.