Ever uttered the words I am poor?  It sucks but you can change it.  Here’s are some helpful tips to get back on your feet.

Being poor is something that can happen to anyone at anytime.  If you’ve looked over your finances and told yourself “I’m broke” and “how did this happen and can I change it” listen up.  Instead of saying “help me I’m poor”, you can find ways to change your situation. You don’t want to be a poor wayfairing stranger trying to rely on the kindness of others to help you out financially for the rest of your life.  A little bit of help is great and don’t be ashamed to take it but you can do it yourself and there are ways to succeed at making yourself financially secure.

Positive Attitude

First things first - Look yourself in the mirror and tell yourself you are going to make it better.  Above everything else a positive outlook is going to help you make steps in the right direction.

Don’t give up hope that you can make things better for yourself.  Even if your not religious you can look to the bible scripture Revelation 3:17.  This scripture basically means to think about yourself being rich even though you have nothing.  Positive thinking is key.  The more you start thinking it, the more you will start to believe that you can become rich.  Wealthy people become rich because they believe they can do it.  You can do it too if you believe you can.

Get Help

Don’t stand on false pride. If you and your family are struggling, you should seek help at a shelter. This will keep you and your family from living on the street. The people at the shelter can help you get back on your feet. They can teach you skills that can help you get another job so you can be financially secure. There is no shame in asking for help if you really need it. They are there to help you so you should go to them.

Budget

Whether you are completely broke or not you should make a budget.  You should always budget your money in order to make sure that you are not spending too much.  Instead of buying things you don’t need, you can put that money aside and save it.  In fact, every week you should save out money so you can have it for necessities.  This will allow you to have money for your bills as well as money on the side just in case you need it.  Even if you save five dollars a week, it will add up.

Do what you’re good at

If you have no job it’s possible that your hobby can turn into a new career for you.  If you have a special talent, why not make money off of it?  If you know how to make things, you can sell them.  If you know how to fix things, you can start a business.  If baking is something you love to do, you can sell your meals. Don’t let your hobby go to waste if you can make money off of it.

Get a Second Job

If you have a job but it just doesn’t make all of your end meet then one of the best ways to get out of financial straights is to get a second job. There is nothing wrong with getting another job to make ends meet. In this economy, many people have to have at least two or even three jobs to make it. You should start looking for another job as soon as possible.  While you are in between jobs, you can work from home. There are a lot of ways to earn money from home. There are companies online that will pay you to work for them. You can fill out surveys, write articles, sell products etc. There are a number of jobs you can do from home that can help you earn money and get back on your feet. All you need is access to a computer and you can get started.

Contingency Plan

Once you are just above broke and beyond one thing you must do to help your financial situation is to have a contingency plan. You must plan for anything that can go wrong. One thing that can ruin your financial situation is if someone you love says “I am sick”. That can be a scary sentence if you don’t plan for it. Another scary revelation is “am I sick” if so, what am I sick with and will it keep me from making money? If you make the majority of the money, this can be a burden on you as well as your family. The medical bills can wipe you out financially if you don’t have the money to pay for it. This is why it’s important to plan for something like that. You can never take for granted that bad things won’t happen to you or your family.

Poverty Simulation

Always have perspective.  It’s not about keeping up with Jones.  One way to do that is by doing a poverty simulation experiment.  This experiment allows you to put yourself in the situation of someone who is less fortunate than you. You will live the life of someone who is poor and homeless for about a week.  This will give you an idea of what things can be like for you if you don’t fix your situation.  This experiment will also let you see that things could be worse for you.

Investing

You can talk to people who are financially stable and learn how to invest your money. People who have money can make it grow through wise investments. You can find out about the right ways to invest your money so you can start making money this way too.

You can do it

There are many ways to help yourself if you are poor. You don’t have to live with being poor. You can take the steps you need to get out of financial disaster. Remember, it can happen to anyone so don’t feel like you are alone.