In 2021, the average Canadian household had a net savings of just under $10,000. That amount will do in a pinch for some emergencies, but what if you don’t have that much saved up? Then you might be in a bit of a financial crunch.
It can be stressful, especially if you need money fast. While you might already be making money with a regular job, it simply won’t do for this emergency. So what else can you do?
If you need cash now, then keep reading. Here are some ways you can avoid too much money trouble.
Ask Your Family or Friends for Cash
Your family and friends love you, so it’s very likely that they’ll lend you money when you’re in a tight spot.
What’s amazing about this option is that “repayment terms” are usually flexible; they’re ok with you paying them back whatever you can, and whenever. And there’s no interest rate either! In some cases, they’ll even want you to consider it a gift.
However, money can be a touchy subject, so understandably, you may not want to mix finances into your personal relationships. The other choices on this list may be more optimal.
Do Odd Jobs
You can probably find people who need odd jobs done, whether that’s in your own neighborhood or on online job postings. Not only can you do someone a favor by cleaning their house, mowing the lawn, or weeding their garden, but you can also get cash in hand fast.
However, this can be hit or miss, depending on the time of year and your local community. Plus, you need to be careful when answering online ads, as you never know what intentions someone may have.
Get Credit Card Cash Advances
Do you already have a credit card or two? Then you may not know about a handy feature on these: cash advances.
All you have to do is take your credit card to the ATM, and you can take out cash. Exactly how much you can withdraw will depend on your credit card terms and conditions, so read the fine print.
Be aware that these cash advances come with hefty fees and high interest rates. So while it can be an excellent way to get cash ASAP, you might pay for it dearly in the future. Plus, the maximum amount will only be three digits, so it might not be enough to tide you over.
Ask for a Paycheck Advance
Those who are already employed can approach their boss for an advance. Not all managers are comfortable giving these out, especially if you haven’t built a rapport up at work already. In addition, asking for a paycheck advance might reflect poorly on you, since it suggests you can’t manage your money well.
Make sure you adjust your budget to account for this advance. Otherwise, it’ll throw a huge wrench in your plans, and your finances might fall behind even further.
Sell Your Unused Gift Cards
We’ve all received gift cards to places we’d never step foot in; 87% of Canadians both purchase and receive gift cards every year. Chances are, you have several sitting unused in your desk.
Dig around your house and gather up all your unused gift cards. You can try selling to people online on your own on platforms such as Facebook Marketplace. In that case, a slight discount can entice people to bite.
Otherwise, you can try gift card exchange sites. They’ll take the cards off your hands quickly, and you’ll have cash in no time.
Pawn or Sell Some Items
While you’re looking around your house, gather up anything you don’t use anymore or can part with. This will have the added benefit of decluttering your home!
Again, you can sell on online platforms, or you can bring these things to a thrift shop. However, you probably won’t get much money for these things, even if it’s jewelry. Electronics can get you more cash though, especially if they’re newer models and/or in good condition.
Another choice is to pawn your belongings. It’s like taking out a loan, except your items are collateral. If you can’t pay back the loan in a short period (usually 30 days), the pawn shop gets to keep your things, which they’ll then sell.
Take Out a Loan
Speaking of, there are several types of loans, and they’re not all created equally. For example, traditional personal loans can have great interest rates, and you can borrow larger sums, but can take a long time for full approval. This means they may not be ideal if you need cash ASAP.
On the other hand, installment loans with no credit checks can work fantastically for emergency money. While the sum you can borrow is pretty low, and the interest rate is usually higher, you don’t need good credit to qualify. And even better is, you can get your loan disbursed on the same day that you applied!
So long as you can make repayments on time, loans are an outstanding way to take care of financial issues, especially unexpected ones.
Need Cash Now? Turn to Tekaloan
You have many options if you need cash now, so that should hopefully lessen your stress.
But to get money on the same day with no credit check, one of the best choices is to get an installment loan. As long as you’re confident that you can repay the loan on time, then it shouldn’t be an issue. And as a result, you’ll be able to get ahead and avoid other financial hardships.
If you’re a Canadian citizen with a bank account in the country, and you’re at least 18 years old, then apply for a loan with Tekaloan now.