It’s no news flash that times are hard. Jobs are scarce, loans are unheard of and the word budget has a whole new meaning. So what do we do? Some families have decided to make some pretty big changes such as picking up a part time job or even having one parent quit a job to stay home with the kids. In a time that is scary for all of us there are still jobs out there that have been tired and proven to stand strong even through the worse economic crises.

The first thing we think of is money when times get hard. Those of us who happen to have a little nest egg hidden away somewhere are desperate to hang on to it. That is where job number one comes in. Accounting! It is a known fact that not many of us are great with handling our finances so we head straight to an accountant. They are the ones who know just how to manage what we can’t. If you happen to have that skill, be sure to use it. Offer it to your friends and family at a discounted rate. it’s a great way to earn extra money on the side without having to severely alter your schedule.

As much as the kids would love it if we had a whole school year of snow days, schools will always be there. Education and learning must go on. Grants for schools may be a little more limited than usual but they will be there to some extent. Along with education there is tutoring. No one said you have to have a special degree to help a kid out on the side. Place a few ads in the paper to offer some afternoon homework help. This is a great one for older children to earn some cash. When they earn a little cash, it means less cash has to come from your bank account!

When times are hard people will do just about anything to get their mind off of things. Are you funny? Have any acting abilities? Entertainment is America’s number one pass time. When a night at the movie cost close to a hundred bucks believe me, people will gladly go for some other form of entertainment. Offer to get a group of local high school kids together and put on a play. Charging about five dollars a head and inviting the neighbors is the perfect way to raise money for that end of the year class trip!

I don’t know about you but if my heat pump is broke or my pipes have burst, I am going to find money from somewhere to get them fixed ASAP. Just about anyone can be a handyman. Not saying that anyone could fix a heat pump but there are plenty of guys (or women) out there that could be used to hang a shelf or clean up a yard. It simply boils down to advertising yourself as a “handyman/woman”. Elderly, handicapped or simply busy people area guaranteed to call.

Last but certainly not least, go for the government jobs! Hellooooo people, we just elected ourselves a new president. It’s a shame but a lot of republicans will be hightailing it out of their offices. From secretarial positions to the higher ups. Opening are everywhere. You just have to look for them!

Times are indeed harder than they have been in a long time but it is up to us to bring the country out of a slump. It may not seem like a handyman job or a high school play can really help but take a deep breath and remember what mom told you “Pennies make dollars, and each one counts”!