Financial security for those with chronic illness is unfortunately not well provided for by employers in the USA. This includes lupus. The positive side is that there are many people with lupus who are living full lives and informing others with the same condition how to improve their experience with the condition.

That said, there still may be periods where you cannot work or earn any kind of living. In this case, how do you manage your finances and prepare financially? Fortunately, through accessing government grants, using credit cards, and plugging into work-from-home freelancing, you can still keep yourself going in spite of the difficulties of the illness.

Turn To Your Leaders

There are several ways in which you can get money to assist you with your living circumstances. There are websites that supply great information about getting government grants. This includes info on whether you qualify for one, how you go about applying for one, and how much you can expect to get. Since the average loss of income for lupus patients sits at around $20,000 per year, you can also contact your local lupus support authority to find out about other ways of getting income. There are also some rather unusual ways of getting financial support from surprising sources that you can look into.

Credit As A Lifeline

Many people will turn to credit cards as a way of helping them out financially when they cannot work due to lupus. Credit is highly useful, so long as you fully understand the terms of the agreement and the applicable interest rate. This is where it is handy to have a credit card that charges no interest on purchases, both large and small, for up to 18 months of using them. Taking a look at getting one of these cards can seriously assist you in footing those medical bills that come running as soon as you have a flare up with your lupus.

Work From Home

For many lupus patients, the reality of holding down a regular job is that it is just not possible. Most employers will not understand the need to take time off for flare-ups and extensive medical treatment. Your best solution is to look into jobs that allow you to work from home flexibly. There are companies out there that will hire you to input data, do photo editing, write, or even take surveys for money. With a few of these in your pocket, you can work when you are well, take a break when you are not and ensure that you will be able to work again when you are ready.

Help In An Emergency

Fortunately, for those living in the greater Los Angeles area, grants are available for directly related “lupus emergencies”. Thus, the money cannot be used to pay off a car loan, or for a mortgage, or other living expenses. These grants can be worth up to $500, and qualifying patients may claim up to two in a 12-month period. To be eligible, patients must not have access to help through other sources such as family, or state funding. These grants are very useful to lupus patients in that they can pay for emergency medical treatment they may not be able to afford, or might not have budgeted for.

The reality is that even if you have lupus, there are many positive resources to help you with your condition. There are financial solutions for you to ensure that you manage to retain a decent standard of living whilst getting the care you need when you need it. In short, you may not have chosen to receive a lupus diagnosis, but it is perfectly possible to live a good life with some clever financial management choices.

Written by, Jess Walter