$600 unemployment benefit: What to do when it stops – Tennessean

With the $600 weekly federal unemployment supplement ending this week, thousands of unemployed Tennesseans are likely to be scrambling to make ends meet.

The $600 weeklysupplement, used by so many whose employment was impacted by the pandemic to tide them over, ends with the week ending July 25.

Many are predicting increased bankruptcies and strains on social service agenciesas people struggle to afford basics like rent, food, medical care and utilities.

"We know families will be hurt the most, with parentsout of work and school going remote (hampering low-income families from receiving free or reduced-cost lunches for their children)," said Samantha Williams, director of the Nashville Financial Empowerment Center, which provides free one-on-one financial counseling to any Davidson County resident.

"We hope people are finding out about usand seeing that we can help them negotiate this," she said. "I think a lot of people have been holding off asking for help while they have been getting the checks, but now we hope they will seek usout."

We asked Williams and her staff tooffer some tips to help people who face looming financial challenges.

Don't be afraid to ask for help. Call 2-1-1 for information on food, shelter and basic needs. The counselors can also help connect people with other local resourcessuch as SNAP food nutrition or TANF (Temporary Assistance for Needy Families)if they have children. The center doesnot provide financial assistance but offers to help people negotiate the system to get help.

Work with a professional financial counselor.To make a virtual appointment with aNashville Financial Empowerment Center counselor,call 615-748-3620 or visit fec.nashville.gov. The service is free for Davidson County residents, and the wait time for an appointment is about a week.

More: The $600-per-week unemployment benefit has not been extended: Here's what to know

Prioritize expenses. Make a list of allthe things you spend money on. The counselors suggest that you break itinto three categories: essentials, debt payments and discretionary spending. Essentials include housing, utilities, transportation, medical needs, basic food/grocery, child care and cellphone.

Cut where you can.Eliminate as much discretionary spending as possibleand then start trying to trim the rest.

List your debts.The counselors suggest making a call list of everyone you owe money to, thencontact each company, explain your situation and ask what your options are.

Avoid overdraft charges. Cancel automatic debits to temporarily avoid overdraft.

Don't resort to credit cards orloans.The counselors say to "exhaust every possible option" before resorting to using credit cards, personal loans or cashing out retirement to pay for current expenses.

Track your progress.Look at income and expenses to determine realistic cash flow and figure out how much wiggle room you might have on groceries and other expenses.

Learn new skills while unemployed.TheAmerican Job Center and https://www.jobs4tn.gov/vosnet/Default.aspxare good resources for finding programs where you can learn new skills while unemployed.

The Financial Empowerment Center offersfree one-on-one financial advice services toany Davidson County resident, regardless of income.

The counseling sessions are done by phone or virtually. Most initial sessions last an hour or hour and a half. To make an appointment, call 615-748-3620 or go to fec.nashville.gov.

Since March 2013, the Financial Empowerment Center has helped more than 8,000 clientsand held more than 23,000 individual counseling sessions.

The program, which has counselors who speak Spanish as well as English, hashelped its clients reduce their debt by more than $15.3million. Counselors have backgrounds in various areas, including banking and social work.

The program started in Nashville in 2013, with initial funding from the Cities for Financial Empowerment Fund, a Bloomberg Philanthropy. Now it is funded by the Mayor's Office and United Way.

Details: fec.nashville.gov andhttps://www.unitedwaynashville.org/programs/financial-empowerment-center

The extra $600 in weekly unemployment benefits was passed as part of the federal CARES Act in March. It is notexpectedto be extended past theweek ending July 25.

Reach Ms. Cheap at 615-259-8282 or mscheap@tennessean.com. Follow her on Facebook at facebook.com/mscheap, and at Tennessean.com/mscheap, and on Twitter @Ms_Cheap, and catch her every Thursday at 11 a.m. on WTVF-Channel 5s Talk of the Town.

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