Financial Hardship Action Checklist

A practical sequence for the first 24 hours, first week, and first month after an income interruption.

First 24 hours

• List cash currently available.
• Identify housing, utilities, food, medicine, transportation, and insurance needs.
• Pause avoidable automatic payments and nonessential subscriptions.
• Open all notices and record due dates.

First week

• Contact creditors before missing payments when possible.
• Ask about hardship programs, due-date changes, fee waivers, or temporary payment plans.
• Document names, dates, confirmation numbers, and promised terms.
• Use the Paycheck Triage Planner.

First month

• Create a weekly cash-flow calendar.
• Protect a small buffer for essential surprises.
• Review benefits, insurance, and community assistance eligibility.
• Set the next recovery milestone using the Recovery Scorecard.

You may print or link to this checklist for noncommercial educational use with SavoraFinance attribution.