What To Do With Your Money During The Coronavirus Pandemic

WAMU 88.5 | By Haili Blassingame

Published March 18, 2020 at 11:16 AM MDT

An employee sorts cash at a currency exchange at Dulles International Airport in Virginia.

Beyond maintaining social distance, another major concern caused by coronavirus is how the outbreak will impact finances.

From shops losing business because people are staying home to hourly workers who’ve gotten their hours cut back or have been laid off, this is a time of great financial stress.

Right now, many experts are recommending that people build up an emergency fund. Personal finance columnist Michelle Singletary told NPR:

I have often advised people to have an emergency fund, and they say things like, well, what the money’s not going to grow and it’s not earning much. But this is the time that you plan for that.

And we understand that saving can be tough when you might’ve lost your source of income. We share what you should—or shouldn’t— be doing with your money during a pandemic.