Over the past few months, most people have wished that they had a little more money. Whether you were laid off from your job or your hours have been decreased so that you can care for a sick loved one, you’re having trouble making your budget work. Take these steps to make room in your budget for necessities.

Find Ways to Make Money From Home

It’s best to stay home as much as possible these days to keep yourself healthy and avoid spreading the novel coronavirus to others. Just because you’re at home doesn’t mean that you have to waste your time, though. Look into ways to make money with your smartphone, such as taking surveys or finishing microtasks. Explore remote positions at your job or apply to new companies. Offer your services as a virtual tutor using videoconferencing software such as Zoom. The possibilities are only as limited as your creativity.

Cook for Yourself

In most parts of the United States, you still can’t eat inside a restaurant, but you can order food for takeout or delivery. These options are attractive, especially if you’re busy taking care of loved ones all day. However, it’s much more expensive to order food than to cook it yourself. Limit yourself to buying takeout once every two weeks. Before you head to the grocery store, look at your store’s coupons, and plan your meals around each week’s special offers. If you’ve never cooked before, many chefs have YouTube videos in which they walk you through the basics of countless meal options. You can also learn from a friend or family member over FaceTime, Zoom, or Google Hangouts.

Saving money is hard but necessary during stressful times. If you can find a way to make extra money and pinch your pennies by cooking from scratch, you’ll see a big difference in your budget problems.

By Anisa