This is a collection of community suggestions from people who have been through some very hard times about what people with few or no resources can do to survive hard times.:
- Start creating mutual-need networks, if you can. Try to join or create groups that help each other. That is MUCH harder than it sounds. Everyone is happy to receive help; few are willing to give help.
- Sell your stuff on EBay
- Learn to fix stuff... your own stuff, someone else's stuff. Computers, bikes, clothing, whatever. And if you need tools or someone to fix something, there's probably a Makerspace nearby that can put you in touch.
- Get in contact with a community garden. (if you're really into gardening and organized, you can start one but most folks aren't into that.) See if you can trade labor for produce.
- If you enjoy gardening, start a garden. Other alternatives are fruiting trees such as apricots or nut trees like pecans (if you have a yard.) You won't end up with a lot of produce, but you may have things (fruit, nuts) that you can trade with friends and family for something else -- or possibly sell.
- Check to see if there are any co-ops in your area. Ones like this one (https://cooperationjackson.org/) can offer great resources.
- See if there's a "Freedge" in your area: https://freedge.org/freedge-yourself/
- Selling aluminum cans. With the tariffs, aluminum is going to become far more expensive. This is NOT a way to get a lot of money, but it can be enough to give a slight boost to a weekly budget.
- Take a hard look at subscriptions, tithes, etc and decide which ones you REALLY need. Eliminate the ones you can in good conscience do without and consider if there's alternatives to the ones you want to keep (drop a magazine subscription but read it at the librayr.)
