How to get by between jobs

The time between paychecks sucks. Especially when you’re not sure where your next one’s coming from. 

First: we’re really proud of you for taking it day by day. And for giving blogs like this one a read.

Second: you’re not alone in this.

Everyone at Cleo, and all our social media friends, are rooting for you. So we’ve put together some tips and tricks that helped us between jobs. 

Hope it can do the same for you 👊

💙 Cut expenses where you can

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Pause your subscriptions

Jot down all the subscriptions you’re paying for. Visit their website or give them a call and ask if you can pause your account for a little while. Hulu and YouTube TV let you do this. So do a lot of gyms.

If they don't let you press pause, you can always cancel and resubscribe when you're ready. Whatever you do, please don't get back on your ex's Netflix account.

And hey, resuming the nice-to-have services can be something to look forward to when your income’s back on its feet. 

Plan your meals around what’s on sale

Go online and flip through sale flyers and coupon books to figure out which groceries you to buy each week.

Stores like Publix and Winn-Dixie have weekly buy one, get one free deals. And stores like Walmart and Aldi sell wildly cheap generic versions of pricier products. Plan your meals ahead of the week, too. That way you’ll stick to exactly what’s on your list.

Most important piece of advice: Don’t grocery shop when you’re hungry.

Let people know you’re looking for a job

Don’t be afraid to tell people you’re open to work. 

Totally understandable if you don’t want to get on LinkedIn and share your business with wannabe thought leaders and people you used to work with. 

But even reaching out to people in your close circle can spark action. You might be surprised by the lengths people will go to help a friend.

Ask around about health benefit options

Your health should obviously always be your number one priority. But the thought of paying for health insurance when you don’t have an income is … scary. 

You do have options though. Usually after you leave a job, your benefits are extended for a period of time. That gives you some time to call and figure out your options with HealthCare.gov. 

They have local agents who can talk you through your situation and next steps. Sometimes your past employer will even offer a continuation plan. You just have to ask the right people. 

Please remember to take care of yourself too.

Adjust your everyday habits

Making cuts wherever you can will go a long way. You can save on bills just by making small tweaks to your daily routine, like downgrading your internet service or reusing your towel. 

Losing high-speed internet might sound crazy, but it’s doable. If you really have a need for speedy internet, you can go to a library to use their computers or a cafe where there’s free WiFi.

When it comes to your water/electric bill creeping, there’s stuff you can do before you resort to asking the Dune costume department for a desert suit. Here are some tips:

🚿 Take shorter showers

❄️ Wash your clothes on cold

📺 UNPLUG YOUR DAMN APPLIANCES. Sorry for shouting

💡Be a dad when it comes to *chaotically* switching lights off (A bit of ambience never hurt anyone ... says the introverted gen z).

💙 Don’t lose sight of what’s important

This is about more than money. Or finding your next gig.

Your mental health matters most. Always. 

When you haven’t figured out your next career move, it’s easy to become a LinkedIn zombie. And it’s probably the second least productive thing you can do.

Here's what we recommend instead: 

⏲️ Set yourself a realistic time slot each day to job hunt. Don’t do more. Forgive yourself if you do less. Burnout ain’t cute. And it doesn’t lead to great cover letters tbh.

✍️ Make a list of free things to do in your area. Do them. Joy isn’t a reward, it’s a necessity. Read that again.

🧘 Download Insight Timer for guided meditations, peaceful soundscapes and group chats. It’s like the Calm app but free.

💙 Cleo’s got you if you need help

Months can feel really long, and it can be hard to focus on money.

If you need some help getting through, Cleo can help you with your budget. And give you some hypes along the way. Just type ‘hype me’ in the app.

Oh also, we do some giveaways every now and then on our socials. If you’re totally anti-brands, that’s fair (still hurts). Feel free to ignore the suggestion. Final words: 

This is temporary

Keep going

We’re here if you need it 💙

Enjoy this post? Def give it a share or send it along to a friend. You never know, it could make a big difference. And of course, if you want to try the best money app in the world for free, just hit this link right here

‍Big love. Cleo