You may have recently lost your job or gone through some other unforeseeable circumstances that resulted in a loss of funds. Whatever the reason, almost everyone experiences a time in their lives where they can't meet their financial obligations. Instead of throwing your budget out the window, rework it. There are ways to budget when you don't have enough money to pay all your bills.
Pay the Important Bills First
First things first. There are some bills that are much more important than others. Your mortgage (or rent), electric, water, and car payment are important bills that must be paid. If you're in a really tough spot, your car payment may not be possible. If that's the case, make sure you have a way to get to your job. You also need to have money for groceries. Almost everything else can be paid only if you have money left over.
Eat From Your Stockpile
If you have a stockpile of food, now is the time to utilize it. Eating from your stockpile during a difficult situation will save you a lot of money. Yes, you may get down to where you're eating beans and rice, but sometimes you have to do what you have to do.
Cut Unneeded Expenses
We all have expenses that we do not need. If you're having trouble paying your bills, now's the time to cut back. You can easily get rid of satellite/cable service, cell phone service, video streaming service, weekly trips to the movies, eating out, etc. These are things you want, but do not need. Don't let money get eaten up with items that aren't necessary for survival.
Get Help
There are so many programs available. You can get help to pay for food through food stamps or food banks. You can get help with your electric and heating bills by contacting your providers. There are so many ways to get help during times of need. Many areas even have good Samaritan clinics where you can get free or very inexpensive health care. Even creditors are usually willing to work with you.
Send What You Can
If creditors refuse to work with you, send what you can each month. As long you're sending something, the creditor can not take you to court. But, don't let your creditors intimidate you so that you end up sending money you need for your mortgage/rent, food, electricity, etc. Those are much more important.
It can be easy to panic when you don't have enough money to pay all your bills. However, there are things you can do to make sure your most important expenses are taken care of.