Travel isn’t always what we want it to be. There are times when it’s a necessity, especially if there’s a family emergency. If you don’t have all of the funds you need to cover your trip, dealing with an already stressful emergency can be even more stressful. That said, there are a few ways that you can pay for the trip even when you don’t have an emergency fund to fall back on.
Loans
You might be able to take out a small loan to finance your trip. For instance, if you live in Texas, there are several different types of loans in San Antonio, and nearly every other city across America, that might be available to you. There are secured and unsecured loans.
The secured type is generally for people who don’t exactly meet all of the income requirements or who might not have stellar credit. It helps to know what your credit is before applying for a loan. If you’re approved for the secured type of loan, you may need to have collateral of some type. There are even a few lenders who’ll allow you to use future paychecks as collateral.
If you get approved for an unsecured loan for your big trip. Know that there’s no need for collateral. If you’re approved for an unsecured loan, that means you met the income and credit requirements. Just be sure that you read and understand all of the terms and conditions before signing for your money.
Credit Cards
If you happen to have credit cards, you may be able to use them in order to finance your big trip. One of the good things about having a credit card to use is that you have quite a while to pay the balance off as long as you’re making the monthly payments. As an example, if the total cost of your emergency trip is $2,500, you may have several months or even a year to pay it back.
Sell Stuff
There’s always the option to get rid of those things that you no longer use. Selling your stuff at a yard sale or pawn shop is always an option. If you pawn things, the pawnbroker will keep those items until you’re able to buy them from him. You can also sell items online. Selling your belongings might net you hundreds of dollars in a short amount of time.
Side Hustle
If you have the time, you might get a quick side hustle to make some extra cash. Some of the more popular ones involve companies like DoorDash. Companies like this provide side hustlers with a lot of opportunities to make some extra cash. You can get paid to deliver hot food or even groceries to customers in nearly 1,000 cities across the country.
Walk a Dog
Rover is a platform that connects dog owners with dog walkers and sitters and provides those who love furry critters with an opportunity to make a bit of money while indulging their love for said critters. While Rover only accepts about 20% of their applicants, if you’re good with the four-legged friends and enjoy spending time with them, there’s a good chance you’ll be accepted. This is a great way to make a bit of extra cash all of the time, not just when you need it for an emergency.
Lacking funds to be there can end up making family issues even more difficult to deal with. If you can find a way to fund your travel to get there, it can be a big help to everyone involved. You can do this by one of the ways we’ve talked about here today.