Don’t simply count on a second round of stimulus checks“”here’s what to do instead

Don’t simply count on a second round of stimulus checks“”here’s what to do instead

With the economy officially in a recession, millions of Americans still receiving unemployment benefits and some states pausing their reopening plans amid spikes in the number of coronavirus cases, it's little wonder that some lawmakers are calling for a second round of stimulus checks. 

While it's been primarily Democrats pushing the idea “” the stalled HEROES Act calls for distributing up to a maximum of $6,000 per household “” President Trump recently voiced his support for another round of funding. "We will be doing another stimulus package. It'll be very good. It'll be very generous," Trump said in an interview last week.

Yet even if a second round of stimulus checks is approved, it likely won't be passed until the end of July. Plus, for some Americans, the amount won't cover all of their expenses if they're unemployed.

Rather than count on a second round of stimulus to make your budget work, here are five steps you can take now to help pay your bills and get on firmer financial ground, according to money experts. 

1. Determine what you can live without 

If money is tight right now, start by figuring out which expenses you can cut, at least temporarily. 

Over the past few months,