I saw a few posts here and there but I didn't find a comprehensive list of things someone should be doing if they're faced with lack of cash flow to pay for bills and essentials during the shutdown. I'll monitor this post and update with additional resources from the comments, if there's interest. This might become more relevant now that most people are going to miss a full paycheck starting this week (myself included). You can do some of this now even if you're not running out of cash, since no one knows how long this shutdown will last. Hope for the best, plan for the worst. 1. Call your mortgage lender, or landlord if renting, and utility companies. Many banks are offering easy payment deferrals during the shutdown. Some agencies have provided official letters you can submit to financial institutions asking for reprieve. 2. Apply for no-interest loans. USAA, credit unions, and even PayPal are supporting fed employees. Each have their own rules, read the fine print. 3. Apply for unemployment. Only applies if you're non-excepted, furloughed employee (I think?). You will need to pay back every cent once you receive backpay, but it's an interest free loan. 4. Apply for a 0% credit card. Search online for a full list, but many banks offer 6-18 months no interest on new purchases on cards with no annual fees. Make minimum payment until backpay is restored. ONLY PUT ESSENTIALS ON THIS CARD - food. gas. medication. utility bills. That's it. Don't get in trouble by overusing it, set a strict limit so you can pay it off in full when government reopens. 5. Take out a personal TSP loan. Don't shy away from this if needed, the only downside is the opportunity cost of short term market gains (C or S fund) compared to G-fund rate (since you're paying yourself back the interest). It costs $50 to apply and you get the money in days (new bank accounts need to be registered for at least 7 days before a transfer can be made, so plan ahead). You can pay it off in full when government reopens. 6. Find food banks and other local resources. Many restaurants are also offering free food for feds. For example - [https://www.capitalareafoodbank.org/](https://www.capitalareafoodbank.org/) X. Cut spending. So many ideas here, I'm sure others will have more. * Ask for STW to save on commuting costs, if applicable. Many offices are considering the lapse as a "situation". * Defer expenses wherever possible. You don't need new outfits or upgrades or whatever. * Don't eat out, stop drinking, delete food delivery apps. * Find cheaper forms of entertainment (lots of free fall activities for the family in NoVA). * Cancel subscriptions, maybe you won't even miss them when you start getting paychecks again. * Delete Amazon and other shopping apps if you can't control yourself. * Stop buying in bulk at Costco if you're the type to stock up on 6 month supply of laundry detergent on sale (this is me). * Modify your weekly dinner menu with cheaper ingredients. Save the aged prime rib-eye dinner to celebrate re-opening. * Join buy-nothing on FB and grab whatever you can (that you NEED, not want). Z. Find other sources of cashflow * If you're furloughed - driving for Uber/Lyft sucks and it's not going to be profitable, but it's cashflow (you're trading depreciation on your car). If you mention you're furloughed employee trying to feed their kids without a paycheck, you might tug at some heart strings (I fall for it every time). I drove for a few days in the past myself. * If you're not furloughed - ask to be furloughed. No one's 100% essential, just like when you take leave from work. Many of the excepted functions, though 100% justifiable, honestly I can do without for several more weeks. * Sell whatever you can on eBay or FB.