GREENSBORO, N.C. — You don't realize how hard it is to live without pay for a month until you're forced to do it.
For furloughed government workers it seemed like those hard times would never end.
Money expert Ja'Net Adams joined WFMY News 2's Tracey McCain with some insight on how to move forward. Adams says even though the government shutdown is over, workers aren't in the clear just yet.
"The government has opened back up and hundreds of thousands of federal workers will be receiving a check again. Unfortunately, it is only scheduled to be opened until the 15th, unless a permanent agreement is reached. This means that these employees could be back in the same situation again soon."
Adams, who wrote the book, Debt Sucks: Everyone's Guide To Winning With Money So They Can Live Their Dreams offered three tips to government workers can take right now with their money.
1. Catch Up:
Use the back pay you receive to catch up on necessities.
"Pay your rent or mortgage, lights, water, and food. Being up to date on these bills will take the pressure off if the government decides to close down again because you will be in the clear until March," said Adams.
2. Put Some Money Away:
"You did not know the government was going to shut down last time, but you definitely know there is a 50% chance that it will shut down on February 15th. You need to put some money away to weather that storm if it comes again. If you think that you don't have any money to save remember I am not talking about thousands of dollars. Even if you save $50 or $100 that will pay your water bill or buy some groceries."
3. For The Rest Of You:
"You know there is a 50/50 chance of the government shutting down again in a couple of weeks. So if you needed to get things completed that involve the government such as taxes, mortgages, business loans, etc. then you need to get to work. Get it done before the 15th just to be safe."
Rarely do you see a layoff or in this case a shutdown coming, so it is better to be prepared.
"We cannot control what will happen on February 15th, but we can control how we prepare ourselves for whatever the outcome may be," said Adams.