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Budgeting During COVID-19

admin — Tue, 17 Mar 2020 01:54:08 +0000

by: Monica Braine

First of all, don’t panic! Our ancestors didn’t survive all of this for us to lose our minds in a consumer driven nightmare of toilet paper and masks. I’ll admit, I bought some toilet paper, but it was because I was low. And I did look for rubbing alcohol because recipes for hand sanitizer call for it along with aloe vera gel. I’ve collected about 4 bottles over the years, I get a sunburn because I think I’m tough and don’t need sunscreen and then end up burnt and cryin around. But I digress. Here are some quick tips for managing through this, whether your job sent you home and won’t pay you or an event like Gathering of Nations was cancelled and you are a vendor.

Tip #1 Continue budgeting your money and adjust accordingly. If you did overspend on groceries or TP, don’t beat yourself up. Groupthink is real. Don’t use this current crisis as an opportunity to throw out your financial goals.

Tip #2 If you are struggling financially, this is the time to reach out to your family and friends and other resources to get you through. Make yourself a list of possible places/people to get/borrow money that aren’t payday or title loans. See if your tribe is doing an advance on a percap, if you get one. Check out a Native CDFI in your area and see if they are lending to individuals. Make sure you are comfortable with the terms and are pretty sure you can pay it back without big penalties. Try to pick up a side hustle through this, selling food and delivering it to people’s houses is a good one right now. If you’re an artist announce a COVID-19 sale. People will sympathize. Johnnie Jae (Otoe-Missouria and Choctaw) of a Tribe Called Geek paid off over $8460.98 of medical debt by selling designed t-shirts. Artist Weshoyot Alvitre (Tongva) also uses this model with her Tongva t-shirts.

Email us your side hustle and we’ll add it to the list! nativesonabudget@gmail.com

Tip #3 Check on your elders. We already do this, but it’s a good reminder. Some of our elders are already isolated. A good phone call or quick trip to see them if you are able and not sick can go a long way towards helping get through this emotionally. And it will help you get your mind off your own issues. Particularly if you have the habit of buying things when you are stressed. Ask them about the old times, get a language lesson, or catch up on the family gossip.

Tip #4 Brush up on those cooking skills! Eating at home is a great way to save money and avoid public places. It’s a good time to start the 2020 No Eating Out Challenge. Also check out these two talented Native food experts. They have ideas for cooking!

Mariah Gladstone’s (Blackfeet) IndigiKitchen has cooking videos and recipes.

Check out Brian Yazzie’s YouTube for more ideas!

Tip #5 Remember winter always turns to spring. This will pass, hopefully without a too much damage. We are resilient people who have survived a lot. Let’s take care of each other, put aside our squabbles and really try to help each other. Once we get through this, it’s a good time evaluate if you have enough in your emergency fund (or one at all). The goal of Natives on a Budget is to help you manage your finances in a way that isn’t crisis based. We can do this! Shawn and Monica have your back!

Episode 2- Self-sufficiency in the zombie apocalypse

admin — Sun, 02 Feb 2020 01:08:27 +0000

I bet you thought this episode was going to be about tracking your spending and keeping a budget….WRONG! We want to talk about something way more important, self-sufficiency.

Being self-sufficient, like being able to cook for yourself or fix your car, can help save money. It also makes you feel like a rock star. In this episode we talk about how being self-sufficient might help with the zombie apocalypse but more likely it will help you get through life’s little challenges. We also talk about growing your own food, doing your own taxes and taking the #NoEatingOut Challenge. Enjoy!

Natives on a Budget Episode 2

Podcast extras

It’s time to start thinking about taxes. If you make less than $69,000 a year you might qualify for Free File through the IRS. DO NOT GOOGLE FREE TAX PREP! Use this link to check out the program.

IRS Free File

If you want to learn about the long messed up reasons why we all can’t just do our taxes for free, read these ProPublica articles. Some companies are trying to do bait and switch with the promise of free preparation, but then end up charging you. If you go to the IRS link and meet the qualifications, they are free.

We also made a page of places you can get your taxes done in person, check back often, we’ll be adding more as we find them.

Shawn thinks everyone should try and do their taxes by themselves at least once, unless you are bad a math.

Chevy Chase plays President Gerald R. Ford on Saturday Nigh Live.

Here’s a video on how to do your taxes paper and pen.

Also in this episode we talked about the #NoEatingOut Challenge. Listen to the Toasted Sister Podcast episode here. If you want to join Monica on the No Eating Our Challenge, send her an email to nativesonabudget@gmail.com.

And finally if you hear scratching in the walls, don’t ignore it. Get a container and some peanut butter. (camouflage duct tape optional)

Zander is probably going to take him outside and let him run free.

We’ll see you in March!

Episode 1- We’re not gonna sugar coat it for you

admin — Wed, 01 Jan 2020 21:27:39 +0000

Happy New Year! Welcome to the first episode of Natives on a Budget podcast. Hosted by Shawn Spruce (Laguna Pueblo) and Monica Braine (Assiniboine/Lakota). If you want to make 2020 the year you get your finances in order this podcast is for you.

We’re not gonna sugar coat it for you, managing money is not easy. There’s math involved, but also a whole crab bucket full of emotions, history and external forces that come with how we relate to money. And for Native folks, we’ve got the added bonus of land theft, colonization and historical trauma. But don’t let that get you down. We believe that anyone can get control of their money and live their best life.

In this episode you’ll hear more about the hosts, what we have planned for the coming year and why you should consider making money management your goal this year.

We’ll bring you episodes the first of every month, along with a few extras along the way. Sign up for our newsletter to get the latest updates and money management tips.

In this episode you’ll hear from Edgar Villanueva (Lumbee) author of Decolonizing Wealth: Indigenous Wisdom to Heal Divides and Restore Balance. Also in the intro, Arlo Iron Cloud (Oglala Lakota) from KILI Radio, talks about what he shares with his kids about money. And Andi Murphy (Navajo) overlord at the Toasted Sister Podcast confesses her struggle to figure out what to spend money on besides food! Music by Torin Jacobs and Reach The Top by Shane Ivers – Enjoy!

Read a transcript of the episode here.