Ask Lemmy

All depends on how much time you have before you lose important stuff without a bailout, and how far underwater you are on expenses minus your after witholdings paycheque. I'm going to assume you have a bit of time to think, then act, enough that you won't risk anything without drastic immediate action.

Step 1 (Budget): Look through your bills, card statements, receipts, determine how much you spent vs. how much you got paid, for recurring expenses, essentials and all the rest.

If the difference is less than about $US 500 a month or 250 per biweekly paycheque, you should be able to cut expenses enough that you can break even. More than $500 means moving to somewhere new, back with your parents, getting a new job that pays more, getting a second job on top will be options that are more worth it than just squeezing your budget can reasonably do. Now stay calm, go into this with a clear head and the confidence that you can work yourself out of your current situation.

Step 2a (Cut expenses): If you have a less than 500/mo shortfall, your goal is to cut $5/month out from up to 100 places.

• Cut Netflix, Amazon, streaming services, magazine subscriptions, gym membership, any monthly luxury thing that has tied your leg to a chain. Cut, cut, cut.
• Buy cheap, filling foods: beans, potatoes, cucumbers, rice, carrots, bread, milk. Buy dollar store plastic lunch containers to hold stuff in and meal prep for yourself every week. Every meal in a month that you make yourself instead of eating out saves you $15, minimum.
• Internet and cellphone, change providers and find a better "2-year introductory offer", if your current phone has a balance, well you can't do as much but you should pay it off if it's $100 or less, stick with it and get cheaper BYOD plans from now on.
• Check your credit-card, loan balances.
• Do your best never to buy more on your CC than you can pay off that month, keep a zero balance if you can. If you have a balance racked up, and nothing like a Line of Credit to move it to, then well just make minimum payments but this is the top priority to tackle once you are in the black and you want to clear that ASAP.
• If you have loans, ask for alternative payment plan options, interest deferrals, something that can give you 6 to 12 months of breathing room.
• Never EVER get payday loans, they will screw you over.
• Shop around if you can attain better rates for auto, home, health and rental insurance. Especially if you've recently turned 25, then insurance companies will fuck you over much less than before.

2b (Increase income or change living situation): Follow most of the same advice across the thread, highlights:

• Apply for jobs where you are, and in other cities across the country where rents you've checked are reasonable.
• Look for seasonal weekend work to supplement your current income.
• There's a lot of need for blue collar work, many will train on the job, and over time, help you get your 'tickets'/qualifications to do more specialized and well paying work. Call up the trade unions, some may have spots.
• Municipal work pays well and lower barrier to entry
• Overseas online teaching math and english is a way I know how some of my friends job searching are supplementing their current existence.

Step 3: Stay healthy, keep your chin up, don't be afraid to ask for help. You shouldn't act desperate, you have many options here but don't let your pride/empathy take away your car and home.