This Covid 19 Pandemic stuck like a lightning bolt from out of the blue. In the past few years, more severe diseases like SARS, Ebola, Dengue with higher fatality rates caused huge scare but none of them have had such a huge lasting effect like the havoc that this coronavirus caused around the world.

In most of the countries only essential services are running, most of the businesses are either closed or being run at half the steam with most of their employees working from their homes.

This has resulted in either total loss or reduction in monthly income for many of the people in the USA. In times like these financial prudence comes into play. One must take a serious look at their finances, how much money they have stocked in their back accounts, how much loss of income they are staring at and what are the essential expenses that they would have to cope with in the next couple of  months before this pandemic subsides and things turn back to the normal.

There are lots of cautious and smart people who, when times are good, keep their 3-6 months of earnings in a separate account that is to be used for emergency purposes only like diseases, loss of job, reduction in income etc. In times like these, this emergency fund would come in handy as the person would be spared of all the stress of not being able to pay for the essential bills and items.

But if you did not have the foresight of building up an emergency fund and the futures looking bleak, at least during the time when pandemic has not slowed down your income, you must be look at the ways to save as much as you can and spend only on the most important and bare minimum items and services you need to survive.

This pandemic has already reduced lots of your expenditure by default. You can not go out for dinner or lunch, traveling for vacation, going to office daily and outdoor weekend entertainment. You must now take a hard look at your non-essential but recurring expenses like cable bill, subscription to services that you can do without and either cut down on them or cancel them.

These days credit card and mortgage companies have adapted a more humane approach while collecting dues from their customers. For example, Credit card companies are letting their customers defer payments, offering lower interest rates and not charging late payment fees.

Mortgage companies are also all heart these days by allowing their customers to work out a payment plan under the new circumstances and delay foreclosures.

If your monthly income has faced a dent by this pandemic then you must call your credit card and mortgage companies, explain your situation to them and find out to what extent they can help you.

Though you may be in a situation where you have lost your job or reduction in monthly income, you could always pick up some side hustles like join a delivery service like UberEATS or DoorDash  that allow you to work as per your schedule, you can deliver their orders in your area and makeup for the income loss to a great extent.

If you have a skill you are very good at and you would enjoy teaching it. You can join the tutorial platforms like Udemy, create your course there and earn 24 X 7. Also, you can start a blog on that topic and earn a decent amount through advertising, if your content becomes popular.

With some intelligent and smart planning, you can sail through these critical times facing less stress, more confidence and even become a better version of yourself by strengthening yourself with better skills and a more positive and practical  attitude towards life.