COVID-19 has forced businesses to close if they are not deemed necessary. Businesses that are regarded as necessary are giving their employees fewer hours.
Catherine Thorbecke with ABC news reported that 6.6 million more Americans have filed for unemployment due to the COVID-19 financial crisis.
Citizens are still having to be accountable for bills. Tough choices must be made in order to decide which bills to pay and which bills to put off for a while. It is a matter of choosing if they can live with or without a product.
Residents around Orlando prioritize housing bills to be the most important. Housing is also the most expensive bill for most families. During the time of the pandemic you need housing to keep you safe and away from other people. Credit card and car bills can come second to housing because they are giving extra time and waiving late fees.
Not being able to pay your mortgage or rent can result in being evicted. Some cities and states have eviction freezes helping homeowners and renters with extra time on the payments.
This can be very helpful for employees working the minimum amount of hours a week. Having payments frozen can also be unfavorable for those not working or laid off because the payments are constantly adding on for every month not paid. Those residents may be responsible for coming up with a lump sum at one time.
Brittany Hughes, a Hooters server, says she has worked no more than eight days in the last month due to her restaurant offering only take-out orders. Hughes lives in a one-bedroom apartment with her 2-year-old son.
“I make decent money taking orders at work, but the majority of money comes from tips,” she said.
The government agreed to give out $1,200 checks to those who qualify, but that is not enough to help people survive during the time of the coronavirus, since the release of the checks the president is saying the country may be on lockdown for an additional 18 months.
Robert Willis,a TCC student, works at the mall and drives Uber on the weekends to pay his bills, because his parents can’t afford to help him.
“I live in Seminole Grand (apartments) and they are not offering any type of help with the rent. They want their money on time and if rent is late, they will charge you late fees even though they know we are college students,” Willis said.
Willis is only able to make money on the weekend because the mall is closed to prevent large social gatherings.