We have all heard the stories of rags to riches. We all look up to these inspirational stories, especially when we’re hitting hard times.
Nothing is as exciting as hearing the story of someone who was homeless and worked their way to being wealthy. But how do you build wealth while you’re homeless?
The truth is whether you’re homeless or have a regular job, building wealth has the same core ideas.
You have to have goals and a budget in mind. But, of course, when you’re homeless, there may be more of a hustle involved because you will have to find ways to bring income into your life.
But if you’re struggling, it is not impossible! In this article, we’re going to look at some ideas about building wealth while homeless. Hopefully, some of these ideas will spark inspiration in you and help you get back on your feet.
How Should You Save Money?
To build wealth, you have to be able to save money which may seem counterintuitive when you are struggling to even have a roof over your head.
But if you want to improve your situation, you must focus on becoming more financially solvent and stable. You can save money in many ways, even while struggling with homelessness.
A bank account is one of the most important things to have when looking to save money. Though it might seem like a struggle to figure out how to do this when you are living hand to mouth, it is important.
Having a place to put your money will keep you from overspending and on track to meet your goals of building your wealth and getting back on your feet.
Once you have figured out how much money you need to live on yourself, you need to take everything that is not necessary and place it into a savings account.
This will give you a rainy day fund and start accruing wealth so that you can work your way into that life you’re looking to capture.
What Do You Have to Focus On First?
A job is the first thing to focus on when looking to create a more stable and affluent financial situation. Even if you’re homeless, that doesn’t mean that you don’t currently have a job. But, if you do, then taking the income from that job and really budgeting it out carefully is key.
On the other hand, if you are struggling because you don’t have a job, that is the first thing you need to focus on.
Of course, that doesn’t necessarily mean you go out hunting for a job immediately. Perhaps you need to build some skills, and that means looking for training situations.
In the end, the key is finding the skills and a job that can help you get back on the right track. Also, remember that this doesn’t necessarily mean that this is the final career for you.
Instead, this is a means to an end, so finding a job where you can make income in order to improve your financial stability is the absolute first thing you should do.
How Can You Make Money Fast?
There are several ways that you can make money fast when looking to elevate your income as a homeless individual.
Not only can you do the classic panhandling, which is not necessarily the best avenue, but it’s a start. You could also use your talents as a street performer.
Many companies and businesses will also help you by allowing you to sweep and earn a little bit of money. If you can have a bicycle, you can also sign up for food delivery services such as Postmates and UberEats.
This may not be a huge amount of money in your pocket, but it is a start, and then you can move on from there.
Should You Try Working Online?
Just because you’re homeless doesn’t mean you don’t have access to certain resources to begin building your wealth while homeless.
For example, one of the easiest and most used methods of work nowadays is online. So if you have computer access, then trying to work online might be a great idea.
There are many benefits to doing this, as oftentimes, with a traditional in-person job, you need an address and other things to start the enrollment and employment process. However, with online jobs, sometimes that is not necessary.
Even if it is, you may be able to have the resources available to you, like shelters, that you can use to help get you started on the right track. Plus, as long as you have the Internet and a computer, you can work anywhere.
Common Mistakes You Need to Avoid
When you’re homeless, you often feel ashamed, which can create some pretty big obstacles for yourself.
There are, like with anything else, set pitfalls that come into play that could derail your whole goal of getting back on your feet and building wealth. So here are some ways that we think you could avoid these mistakes:
- Being too proud to ask for help. There are programs out there designed to help individuals struggling with homelessness get back on their feet.
Everything from shelters to organizations that help homeless individuals find jobs can be great resources to help you begin to work towards your goal of building that wealth.
- Not keeping a bank account. Though it might seem strange for someone struggling with homelessness and income to try to maintain a bank account, it is often overlooked and super important to ensure that you’re getting back on your feet.
Final Thoughts on How to Build Wealth While Homeless
Homelessness is something that many people struggle with, but it is not something that is insurmountable. There are plenty of stories of individuals who have gone from homelessness to being well off with a little hard work and dedication.