Life unfortunately is full of bad events, whether it’s an accident, an injury, an illness, a breakup, a job loss, or something else. Life is always full of setbacks, and of course we all need time to grieve, recover, process, but ultimately our goal is getting back to normal, getting back to the way things were before the mishap. As Alfred told a young Bruce Wayne; ‘we fall so we can learn to pick ourselves back up again’. So, when something bad comes your way and you’re trying recover, think through the following points to help you get back to normal!

Recoup your losses

The hospital bill and the extra time off work are likely going to put a dent in your finances. It’s not just unforeseen expenses but you could be left with no other choice but to buy equipment and medication to help. Hopefully you’ve got good insurance and an emergency fund to help out, but you may need more help, or be entitled to more help, especially if if wasn’t your fault. Just thinking worse case scenario here, but what if you need to buy support equipment for your home and the ability to move around? What if you need to have regular and or annual health checkups due to your injury? Even if you have gotten a financial settlement or award from the person or company that causes your injury, you may still need permanent support. Depending on the severity of the accident, you may actually be entitled to Social Security Disability support. In that case, look for the best social security disability attorney which can prepare your SSI case with the administration office. You will also need this type of attorney for appeals in case your case is rejected instantly or perhaps a few years down the line.

Find out if you’re entitled to anything through insurance, a settlement, or disability. If you’re entitled to it, be sure to fight for what’s owed you!

Working for yourself

Perhaps going back to a 8-5 office setting is no longer feasible, or desirable. Remote working is only becoming a larger chunk of the professional market. Many people are choosing to go freelance and work independently, not having to rely on a company for their financial freedom. (Note that freelancing still take a ton of hard work, it’s not a silver bullet to your money problems). If you have experience in your field or perhaps you’re just great at your job, you can consider going the freelance route and work from your home. This is great if you’re in a wheelchair and traveling around outside of your home is difficult. There are lots of freelancing options out there, whether it’s more professional, carrying on with skills you currently have, or picking up something new like an Uber or Lyft driver.

Don’t also rule out continuing on with your current employer. Especially in light of the current Covid-19 Corona virus, companies are taking more of a look at telecommuting. Never hurts to ask and see if you can arrange something different to accommodate your needs!

Cutting out luxuries

For the time being, cutting out luxuries like vacations and large purchases is unfortunately something you’re probably going to have to seriously consider. You’re going through a life-changing experience, so having as much firepower i.e. money, is going to keep you secure. Consider cutting back on trips and leisure activities, just for a year or so. Eat out less and cook more in. Wear current clothes instead of buying new ones. Hold onto that last year’s iPhone instead of getting the latest and greatest. After scaling back for a few months or a year, you’ll know how much your new lifestyle is going to cost without these types of expenditures clouding the scale.

When you suffer a life-changing event your first thoughts won’t be about your financial future. But eventually, you’ll need to settle down, adapt to your new living standard and learn to thrive! 

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