What to do if you are injured and out of work? What would be the next steps?

I had a long conversation with my girlfriend last night on the phone. She was completely down and out because she was recently injured at work and is presently on work accident compensation. My friend is an unbelievably hard worker who puts in at least 50 hours a week at work. While she welcomed the small break, she was worried about how she would support her family, since she was the main breadwinner in the family.

While she is getting paid compensation while she was is on accident leave, she still needs to find ways to cut back on extra expenses in her life. She called me to ask for suggestions on some things she could do to cut some corners in her life financially. I brainstormed with her last night on the phone for a few hours and we mutually came up with some ideas that could help her family out during this trying time.

First suggestion I had for her, was to start coupon cutting. I have been a coupon cutter for some time now, and I see such a difference in my expenses monthly. While a $1.00 coupon might not seem like a lot, when you have several dozen coupons each with a $1.00 off, your grocery bill could be cut drastically. She was very receptive to this idea and plans to check out the Sunday newspaper, along with the coupon websites out there.

Next suggestion I had for her, was to try to eat dinner more at home. They usually spent a bulk of time each week eating out. You know the drill… You don’t want to cook, so you end up eating out or taking food in. While both are a nice substitute for cooking, when you financially are down, eating in is the most advantageous method.

Finally, I told her about bulk food shopping. I tend to do all my bulk shopping at stores like Sam’s club. By going to Sam’s to buy a lot of my food items, I am saving exponentially on my bill each month. I am known to personally visit Sam’s club at least twice a month, and stock up on foods we need. Buying in bulk is a great time saver and also a great money saver.

While these are just some of the suggestions I gave her, I know that she will be alright in the long run. Like I always say to her, “Chin up.” I think she will be using some of my tips to make things a little easier for her and her family this winter season.

*This is a partnered post with Irwin Mitchell and The Mommyhood Chronicles. As always, all my opinions are my own and not swayed by outside sources.