5 Strategies for Getting the Cash that You Need When You Are in a Fix

You never know when you are going to need money in a hurry. When the car needs to be repaired or a medical emergency comes up, you can't tell the mechanic or the doctor that you can't pay due to a lack of funds. What can you do to get money that you need when you are in a pinch and have a severely limited amount of time?

1) Raid Your Retirement Fund

If you are facing a financial emergency, you can borrow up to $50,000 from your retirement fund. You will need to put the money back into your account over a period of up to 60 months, but the penalties for not doing this are not extremely heavy, at least when compared to normal loans and forms of financing. The advantages to such a loan are the fact that you can get the loan with few or no questions asked and you will repay yourself with interest, instead of a bank.

2) Sell Gold Or Silver

That silver ring or gold watch that has been sitting on your dresser for the last few years can be worth hundreds or thousands of dollars. While it is true that you are going to lose these items, you will not need to worry about paying back debts and losing money to interest.

3) Apply For A Payday Loan

While not an ideal solution, you can have the funds in your bank account within hours. If you have bad credit, it may be your only option when you need money in a pinch. Those who don't like payday loans can look for personal loans online or through their bank. You can expect a heavy fee to be attached to a payday loan, and it will quickly build up money if you don't pay off the loan on time, but it is one of the easiest ways to get a large amount of money almost immediately.

4) Access The Equity In Your Home

Homeowners can take out a home equity loan to get cash quickly at a low interest rate. With mortgage rates at historic lows, you will pay significantly less in interest charges than you would if you got a personal loan or used a credit card. The only risk is that you will be placing your home up as collateral for the loan, but this won't be a problem if you make all of the required payments on the loan.

5) Liquidate A Portion Of Your Stock Portfolio

Stocks, bonds, and other securities can be sold instantly to put cash in your pocket. Savings bonds can be cashed in instantly as well if you need money in a hurry. A silver lining to having to sell stocks or bonds is that you could take a capital loss that will help you save money when it comes time to file your taxes.

There are a lot of ways to get money when you are in a financial jam. While not all of these options are ideal, you will be able to get the money that you need, when you need it. When the bills need to be paid, it's important to know where you can turn to get funds in a hurry.