We can barely survive with our paychecks, so what more if a portion of it will be withheld to automatically pay off our debts? We may not be able to scrape up enough funds to get through the next paycheck. That is not a decent way of living. Courts can order a wage garnishment when a debt collector or collection agency files a case against you for not meeting the demands of the payment schedule.
If you have extra cash lying around, you can consult a wage garnishment attorney in Salt Lake City or other cities. The lawyer can give you advice on the best course of action to get out of the predicament. You can file for bankruptcy. That will stop all collectors from trying to get you to pay. But that also means not being able to apply for a loan or a credit card for some time.
If filing for bankruptcy is not an option, you can find a loophole in the process and use that to stop the court order. You can agree with the collection agency on a fixed monthly payment. You can offer to pay the debt in full—if you have someone who can take care of that. You can also file for a claim of exception. There are many ways to stop a wage garnishment. But if those are not possible, here are tips on how to survive to live off your minimized wage:
Ask for a Raise
Go to your boss and ask for a raise. You must make sure, though, that you have done a pretty good job in the past year or so to qualify for the raise. Check your work performance. Have you been doing great? If not, start being more productive and efficient. Your boss will only be too happy to help you with your predicament if you make yourself an invaluable asset to the company.
Get a Higher-paying Job
Maybe it is time to look for another job. Your current salary may not be able to sustain your living expenses. Try to apply for a similar job with a better rate. An additional $200 from your current wage will help a lot in paying the bills and settling your debts.
Find a Side Job
You work from 8 AM to 5 PM. You can work from 6 PM to 9 PM easily. You can also work during the weekends. Yes, it is stressful not to be able to rest a whole day but having no money to pay for rent is more stressful. The latter will literally put you on the streets. That will be more of a problem; how can you work if you don’t even have a place to stay?
The only way to never find yourself in this situation is to never get into such a huge debt that you cannot afford to pay it. Manage your finances well. Don’t spend beyond your means. Live within what you can afford. Get insured so that you’ll have something to fall back on. Save as much as you can. Even a penny is better than having nothing at all.
