Whether you are a fresh graduate, just got fired or you quit your job for a personal reason, being unemployed is not a good status. So after a few days of rest, you would surely be itching to start searching for a new job.
Unfortunately, looking for a job can be costly. From the cost of transportation to interviews to the printing cost of your application and resume can easily drain your savings before you know it.
Here are some tips to help you save money during job hunting:
1. Cut unnecessary expenses. This is not the time for your pride to shine. Drop anything that is not necessary; just keep what you need and not what you want. You may cut your internet or cable subscription or lessen your frequent visit to the mall.
2. Find out how much you need for your existing bills. After trimming down your expenses, now is the time to focus on your priority bills. Find out how much money you need to pay your bills and make sure that you would only be paying the minimum.
3. Be honest to yourself about your ability to pay rent. If you are not sure about your capability to pay for your rent then this might be the time for you to move back home. If you know that you can no longer afford to pay for your existing apartment, it would be best for you to relocate to a cheaper place or better yet free, like your parent’s house.
4. Sell things you don’t need. Since you are moving to a new place, bringing all your things would be burdensome. So why not go through all your things and sell what you don’t need? This way you can lighten your load and earn money at the same time.
5. Stick to the budget. If you have already figured out how much you have and how long you can stretch that money. Put your budget plan into action and stick to that budget.
6. Get a free makeover. First impression lasts, right? This is why you need to get a makeover to make sure you’ll get your potential employer’s attention. But you don’t necessarily have to spend money to achieve that. Try looking into your friend’s closet and see if there is something there that you can use for an important interview. Remember that you are running on a tight budget so it would be impractical for you to buy a dress or set of clothes that you won’t be using regularly.
7. Pack a lunch or snack. When going for a job-hunting, it would be best if you would bring lunch and water with you so you won’t have to buy expensive food at a restaurant.
8. Save money on your groceries. You should try to lessen your budget for your groceries but make sure that you will still be eating healthy foods. Try buying a different brand which costs less than your old brand.
9. E-mail your resume. You can also save money if you try applying for jobs online because it means that you won’t have to worry about spending money on printing out a resume. Nowadays, it is acceptable to attach your resume to the application, and send it via e-mail. With this you can save money on printing, travel or postage.
10. Save money on babysitting. If you have a child, you also have to think of ways on how to save money on babysitters while you are still unemployed. Instead of hiring a babysitter or nanny, you can ask your parents or friends to take care of your child while you are job hunting.
Your next job is out there, you just need a little bit of patience, faith and guidance to find it.
Other references
http://lifehacker.com/a-survival-guide-for-the-newly-unemployed-1464047464
http://www.snagajob.com/resources/10-cheap-ways-to-save-money-while-job-searching/
Lyza is a correspondent for a local newspaper, full time news writer for a local radio station and a part time web writer. Her ultimate dream is to become a novelist but for now she’s joggling all those three jobs to further enhance her writing skills. She earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Mass Communication and is incorporating all she has learned at school and through her personal experiences in her work.
Interesting post on how to save money. Many OFWs have difficulties to do this money-matter issue. This is indeed a helpful guide for us. Thanks for this. Keep it up.