With consumer prices soaring, interest rates rising, and the looming threat of an economic downturn, many U.S. households are looking for ways to tighten their budgets, do more with less, and revisit purchasing decisions. If yours is among them, and you're looking for advice, these tips from experts across the country on personal finances, housekeeping, investing, and even small business operations can help.
Related: 15 Things You Really Don't Need to Buy During a Recession
When it comes to prepping for a recession, the first step should be taking a detailed look at your current financial picture, says R.J. Weiss, a certified financial planner and founder of the personal finance site The Ways to Wealth. “Start by analyzing your income and expenses, as well as creating a personal balance sheet of your assets and liabilities,” Weiss says. “From there, you'll be able to identify the strengths and weaknesses of your current financial situation, and then, clearly see what you might do to improve.”
Related: 16 Ways to Simplify Your Finances During a Time of Economic Turmoil
It’s a good idea to have an emergency version of your household budget already developed and ready to go in case you’re laid off, says Heather Albrecht, financial coach, and founder of Balance Financial Coaching. “This will help you ensure you do not need to make big decisions when you’re already under stress from losing your job,” Albrecht says. “Plan how you will reduce your regular spending, what areas you will cut altogether, and where you can shuffle money around. Doing this with your partner (if applicable) will help you have less stress and be able to put more care into your mental health.”
Related: 24 Money-Saving Tools That'll Keep Your Budget on Track
Sorting out your needs from your wants is also important when developing an emergency version of your budget. “Get really granular on what you need. Reading some minimalism blogs or books can help with this idea,” says Albrecht of Balance Financial Coaching. “My own journey toward a more minimalist, low consumer lifestyle has certainly helped prepare our family budget for hard times, and put our savings on hyperdrive during good times.”
There are many things households can do right now to get control of their finances, says Jeff Rose, a certified financial planner and founder of Good Financial Cents. Chief among his tips is to start building an emergency fund. “Unexpected expenses can happen any time, but they’re more common and can hurt worse during a recession, especially if you lose your job,” Rose says. “Having some money set aside for these types of things can help put your mind at ease during an already stressful time.”
If you have credit card debt, consider transferring your debt to a zero percent balance card, says Rose of Good Financial Cents. Depending on your card’s account balance, you may save tens or hundreds of dollars in interest charges annually.
Spending money like you've lost your job means eliminating discretionary spending and even reducing your spending on essentials as much as possible, says Anna Barker, personal finance expert and founder of LogicalDollar. “There may be some difficult financial times ahead for you and your family, so it's best to start limiting your expenses now to get your finances ready, just in case.” A Netflix subscription, for example, may seem like a trivial expense, but plenty of free entertainment options exist.
Consumers who get health insurance through one of the state health-care marketplaces established under the Affordable Care Act often receive a subsidy to help minimize the cost of monthly out-of-pocket payments for insurance coverage. The subsidies are based on household income, and if yours has suddenly changed because you’ve lost a job or your salary has been reduced, it may be a good time to reach out to your state’s health-care marketplace, says Janice Lintz, a widely quoted consumer education writer. “See if you’re eligible for a subsidy if your financial circumstances changed from last year,” Lintz says. “They can rerun your application with updated income estimates. You may find out that you are eligible for higher subsidies or Medicaid.”
If you're contemplating stopping 401(k) contributions to help build your emergency fund, an alternative is to contribute to a Roth IRA, says Weiss of The Ways to Wealth. “Roth IRAs have very flexible withdrawal limits. For example, you can withdraw contributions at any time without paying taxes or a 10 percent penalty,” Weiss says. “It's still important to invest up to your employer match in your 401(k), however, putting additional contributions inside of a Roth IRA gives you more flexibility.”
No matter what happens to the economy, nurses, police officers, pharmacists, doctors, firefighters, and receptionists are almost always going to have work, says Freya Kuka, owner of the personal finance blog Collecting Cents. “Your best bet when it comes to a recession period is becoming an invaluable asset yourself.”
Establishing a secondary source of income is always a good idea, but perhaps never more so than during a recession. “Consider getting yourself involved in a side hustle like freelancing, starting your own business or working as a coach,” says Kuka of Collecting Cents. “This extra source of income can serve you well if times get tough.”
There’s no doubt that it can be scary to read articles about the stock market crashing, but if your retirement is still years or decades away, the best thing you can do right now is nothing at all, says Barker, founder of Logical Dollar. “History has shown that those who sell when the market is going down and then try to buy back in when the market is recovering consistently end up worse off than those who simply keep their funds in the market and wait out the dip,” Barker says. “This means that you shouldn't be tempted to sell and you definitely shouldn't consider timing the market. Instead, hold on, continue investing in line with your usual strategy and remember: This too shall pass.”
Now is the time to look through your bank statements and cut the fat, says Morgan Taylor of LetMeBank. “You aren’t giving these things up for ever, but right now you need to plan for a worst-case scenario, and eliminate any wasteful spending,” Taylor says. “Think of it as a bucket of water. Your outgoing spending represents holes in the bucket, your incoming funds equate to water added. Plug as many leaks as you can.”
If you’re self-employed, work on expanding your customer list as much as possible before a recession hits. “If you have a solid base of regulars that you can contact, keeping your business going is a lot easier,” says Taylor of LetMeBank. “Fighting for new clients or customers is difficult in a recession as people tend to stick with what they know.”
It’s a good idea to work on improving your credit score before a recession hits, so that when times of struggle arrive, you have the ability to apply for a new credit card or use a high-limit credit card to keep you afloat, says Mason Miranda, credit industry specialist for Credit Card Insider. “If you’re using a credit card to pay for necessities, ensure that you have or will soon have the ability to pay at least the minimum amount due, in addition to the required payments for your other debts,” Miranda says. “Damaged credit scores can make it much more difficult to borrow in the future.”
Business owner Deborah Sweeney, CEO of MyCorporation, says the best approach to making a business recession-proof is to create what she calls an annuity service. In other words, create “ongoing, regular services or products that also offer a great customer experience,” says Sweeney, whose company helps entrepreneurs and small business owners to incorporate or form limited liability companies, or LLCs. “We believe that when you provide great service and offer invaluable support to business owners, you're far more likely to survive a recession than when you're competing on price.”
Put all those business cards in your desk to work. Think of genuine ways to reach out and connect to each of those people, says Kari Lorz, creator of Money for the Mamas. “Get your name and face back in front of people. Better yet, make sure they know your skillset," Lorz says. “You may be in position to help them, and they may be in a position to help you if you find yourself without a job.”
Take the time now to see your various health-care providers while you’re still covered by employer provided health insurance, says Lorz of Money for the Mamas. While you’re at it, get your prescriptions filled, too. “If you use a health-care flexible spending account, this is a good time to study up on how long it covers you after employment ends,” Lorz says.
Call your credit card companies and ask them to decrease your interest rate, says Lorz of Money for the Mamas. “It’s relatively easy, (you just call them) and ask, sometimes they say yes and sometimes, no,” she explains. “It’s absolutely worth the five to 10 minutes of your time.”
Start looking for ways to scale-back your household clutter and sell your formerly loved clothing, handbags, accessories, and even consumer electronics or entertainment, such as video games, and books, says Anna De Souza, consumer lifestyle and shopping expert for the e-commerce site Mercari. “Right now … it's a good way to make cash to pay bills or start saving for harder times ahead.”
Rather than shopping for new items, consider searching thrift stores or consignment shops first. “It's easier than ever to find top-quality, almost new, or even new, items for sale at a much lower price from others than to pay full-price at a regular retailer right now,” De Souza of Mercari says.
Saving money while shopping online is made a whole lot easier when you install browser extensions that search for applicable coupons for you. Browser extensions like Rakuten, for instance, can find coupons and deals at more than 2,500 stores while you're shopping at the store online and then apply the coupons when you check out. RetailMeNot offers a similar service. “These scan the web every time you're about to check out when making an online purchase to find any available and applicable coupon codes,” De Souza says. “You can often get an easy 10%-20% off or free shipping without doing a thing.”
In preparation for an economic downturn, it’s a good idea to reexamine the costs of some of your biggest household expenses, such as your vehicles, and consider downsizing. “Revisit your car or truck needs. If your payment is above 10% of your income, you may be overextended,” says Todd Christensen of MoneyFit.
Career progression and continually challenging yourself with new opportunities may be important, but job hopping on the brink of a recession may not be the wisest idea. “Now is not the time to be changing jobs — the last ones hired are the first ones fired during a recession,” says Christensen of MoneyFit.
Continuing to squirrel away money for nonessential goals should cease to be a top priority when a recession is looming. “Suspend your savings for long-term goals such as vacations and large, noncritical purchases and redirect those savings to your emergency fund,” Christensen says.
Any budget change requires cooperation from your employees or family members to succeed. Otherwise, not everyone will be motivated to learn the new process, says Jonathan Slain, a recession expert and co-author of “Rock the Recession.” “To convince employees to participate in your initiative, you need to make it clear why you're doing what you're doing.”
If you have purchases planned and saved for, wait a few weeks before taking any action, says Adam Sanders, who spent a decade working in finance for large financial software companies and founder of Growth Linked, an online media company. “As the economy slows down more and more businesses will be either lowering their prices of having major sales. Waiting a little now could net you big savings in the long run.”
As the economy goes downward, your buying power increases. “The worse things become, the more likely you are to be able to negotiate discounts for just about anything,” Sanders says. “Don't be afraid to ask for discounts or additional services for most of your regular expenses and you'll be surprised by how many are willing to work with you. Businesses don't hesitate to raise their prices on you so you shouldn't be hesitant to ask for a discount when you can.”
When money’s tight, it’s time to stop paying people to do things you can do yourself. “Try cooking instead of eating out, doing laundry instead of dry cleaning, cleaning your house or apartment instead of hiring service, and washing your own car,” says Sylvia Edna, a personal finance expert and creator of Savvy Money Making.
If you’re having trouble making ends meet, there may be assistance available in the form of financial support, meal provisions and other types of programs. “Look for financial assistance at the government and nonprofit levels,” says Edna of Savvy Money Making. “There’s a lot of help for people with no income or low income.”
When you find yourself in challenging financial times, thinking beyond the immediate, day-to-day struggle can boost your mental health and long-term success, Edna says. “Take time off to reflect. Reflect on future goals and actions, don't just focus on surviving a layoff or the immediate situation.”
A tip aimed at business owners, Andrea Belzer, a business coach and consultant, suggests reviewing expenses and finding places to trim spending. “Try to make sure it does not impact the operation of your business,” Belzer says. “It’s a great time to find new tools that have a lower cost or are more beneficial."
When the economy shifts gears, it's a good time to take a second look at what you sell., Belzer says. “First, will your services be needed during the recession? Some things like luxury goods are in less demand. But other items or services may be in more demand. Determine where you are so that you can either create new services, or prepare for an uptick in demand.” Second, determine if there’s a similar offering that you can create at a lower price, she says. “If you normally offer one-on-one work with clients, can you move to a group? Can you create a course or write a book? Think about how you can use what you do now, in a lower cost format.”
Business owners should be proactive and set up a business line of credit to help bridge any gaps that may arise during a recession or emergency, says Jared Weitz, CEO of United Capital Source. “Business owners can also overfund their life insurance policies and then borrow against the fund in the event they need additional capital.”
When a recession hits, it’s a good idea for businesses to have enough cash on hand to make ends meet or invest in new opportunities that wouldn’t otherwise be available, says Weitz of United Capital Source. “This is what will turn a recession from a struggle into a business opportunity.”
Even if all you have is a windowsill in an apartment, you can still grow a few herbs or vegetables to save money at the grocery store. Start by growing some herbs in a pot, says Bri Bell, a registered dietitian, personal finance expert and creator of Frugal Minimalist Kitchen. “Green onions are easy to regrow from the root cuttings even in a glass of water,” she says.
Cooking from home is one of the best ways to save money, says Bell of Frugal Minimalist Kitchen. “Whether you’re brand new to cooking, or just need a break from your usual set of meals, trying a new recipe will help you learn new skills and prevent you from blowing your budget on takeout.”
Every dollar you save on your grocery bill is a dollar you can add to your emergency savings account, Bell says. Some of the most popular grocery savings apps include Ibotta, Shopkick, and Fetch Rewards.
Though mortgage rates have risen recently, there still may be an opportunity to refinance to a lower rate. Look at interest rates on home mortgages and determine if it would be worthwhile to refinance, ideally obtaining a lower monthly mortgage bill, says Lil Roberts, CEO and founder of Xendoo, a fintech company. The money you’d no longer be spending on a mortgage payment can be put into emergency savings or used to cover other bills.
Now is a good time to reevaluate all of your bills including your monthly insurance bills, says Steve Sexton, financial consultant and CEO of Sexton Advisory Group. “This is an excellent time to shop around for auto insurance and homeowner insurance rates, which could potentially reduce your expenses in the long run.”
In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, many online learning services continue to provide access to their courses at no cost, which presents a rare opportunity, says attorney Leslie Tayne of Tayne Law Group, who specializes in debt and personal finance. “Visit Class Central to browse courses from humanities to graphic design to data science, all for free from top universities,” she says.
If you can no longer make regular payments on your loans and other debt accounts, reach out to your lenders, says Bob Castaneda, program director for Walden University’s Master of Science in Finance program. “Ask them for assistance if you’re facing financial hardship,” he says.
If you still have a job and good credit, go ahead and apply for a zero percent APR credit card now, especially one with no annual fee, says Tracy Odell, vice president of content for FinanceBuzz. “You've then got 12-plus months of zero percent interest to help you get through any lean months or unexpected expenses,”
If you're worried about losing your job or having your income reduced in the coming months, consider temporarily hitting the pause button on adding more money to long-term, nonliquid investments such as 401(k) or 529 plans. “Instead put the money that you would have invested into a high-yield savings account where you can easily access it, without penalty, in case you need it in the next year,” says Odell of FinanceBuzz. “If you don't end up tapping into that extra savings, you can still invest the money you've saved in the future when you feel more secure financially.”
Avoid taking on new discretionary debt, such as a new auto loan, says Trish Tetreault, financial analyst for Fit Small Business. “While there are circumstances that may necessitate taking out a loan to cover an emergency need, in general, you should avoid making purchases that require financing when you are trying to ready yourself for a recession,” Tetreault says. “Now may not be the time to finance a new living room set.”
One major way to reduce monthly recurring expenses is to downsize your housing, says Timothy Wiedman, a retired associate professor of management and human resources at Doane University. “Downsizing could mean selling a fairly large house and buying a somewhat smaller condo that's big enough for entertaining friends and hosting overnight guests,” Wiedman says. “Or alternatively, folks might completely drop out of the ownership game and move into a large modern apartment.”
Be prepared for a potential layoff by getting out your old resume, finding a better online resume template, and getting to work making your work history, education, and training shine, says Lorz of Money for the Mamas. At the same time, if some of your skills or certifications are outdated, see if your current company will assist you with brushing up on those skills, potentially helping to fund continuing education or training.
With the stock market rocketing up and down and a strong possibility of more volatility, it might be a good idea to redirect your money away from continued investing if you’re carrying substantial debt and instead focus on eliminating or paying down that debt, says Sanders of Growth Linked. With this strategy, you’re achieving a guaranteed return, in the form of reduced or eliminated interest payments on the debt, he says.
Particularly in light of the current emergency the country is going through, new assistance options are emerging regularly, says Belzer, the business and life coach. Business owners should regularly invest time in staying abreast of the programs available. “I would advise business owners [to] spend some time reviewing all of the new government options for help,” Belzer says. “I personally have been using the U.S. Chamber of Commerce site for information. They’re doing a great job on summarizing everything.”
Spencer Barclay, founder and CEO of Savology, suggests clearly identifying and then working to protect your income streams. This effort ideally includes working hard to demonstrate your worth to your employer to help prevent being laid off in the event the company needs to cut costs.
How successfully you manage your money, your household affairs, and many other parts of your life begins with the decisions you make, says Barclay of Savology. “For this reason alone, staying positive is one of the best things you can do to make sure you survive and thrive during even the most challenging times.”
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