There aren’t too many people who are completely satisfied with their financial situation. After all, who couldn’t use a little extra money in their bank account? The problem is that all our money seems accounted for. And of course, it’s not as if we can just magic more money into our accounts. But that doesn’t necessarily mean that you have to just settle for however much money you have. The truth is that people often have access to more cash than they think they do. These are what we call “untapped resources.”
In this blog, we’ll look at some of the best ways to improve your finances without really trying. Not all of them will apply to you, but here’s a few untapped money sources worth exploring.
Asking For a Raise
Your salary is going to be your main source of income, most likely, at least. Most people just accept whatever wage is given to them, but here’s the thing — you will have more of a say over the amount that you earn than you think, especially if you’ve been working for the same company for a while. Employers know that it’s cheaper to give a raise than it is to risk losing a member of staff and having to hire another employee. So if you know that you’ve been doing a good job, and feel you deserve a raise, then ask for one. Read this guide to learn how to go about it the right way, first.
Trimming Home Costs
How often are you really investigating where your money is going? If you’re just automatically paying your bills, without any interrogation, then you may be spending more cash than you need to. Just by making some effort, you might reduce your household bills by 20% or more. For instance, look at your internet package, for instance. If you have the fastest package but you’re only using the internet to browse the web, then you probably won’t need the top-tier package. Downgrade, and put your money to better use!
Putting Assets to Work
It’s possible that you’re asset rich, cash-poor. This will be the case if you own your home. Your house will likely be worth a lot more than what you have in cash. So why not look at releasing some of the value of your property? You can do this by renting out a room in your house or by remortgaging the property. Another asset you can put to work is your car. You can trim the costs significantly by offering rides. If you were going that way anyway, then why not bring someone else along, and have them pay half the cost of the trip?
Getting What’s Yours
It’s tough enough having to meet the cost of all your responsibilities. It makes no sense to meet the costs of other people’s responsibilities, too. Yet it happens all the time. If you’re involved in an injury-causing accident, and it wasn’t your fault, then it makes no sense for you to burden the costs on your own. The responsible party should pay. If you find yourself in this situation, then be sure to hire expert trial lawyers to fight for justice on your behalf. It’s money that, in the eyes of the law, should be yours anyway!
Selling Your Expertise
Have you got a skill or area of expertise that other people want? Then why not look at selling your expertise to other people? It can be tough to start a company from scratch, but if you are using skills that you already possess, then it’ll be much easier. For example, if you play the guitar, then you could teach beginners how to play. If you’re good at writing, you could take on small writing jobs. It’s all about using the skills you have to give your bank balance a boost. It won’t even feel like work, and you’ll be making money!
Close the Wallet
Finally, one of the main reasons why people end up with less cash than they should have is because they simply keep on spending. If you’re continually spending money on stuff that you just don’t need, then it’ll be no surprise if your bank balance isn’t looking as good as it could. If you want to quickly improve your situation, then consider closing your wallet entirely for a couple of weeks. That means no more coffees, takeout meals, impulse purchases, and so on. You’ll be amazed at just how much healthier your bank balance looks when you’re finished.