How To Build An Emergency Fund And Not Spend It
I wish someone would have told 21 year old LauRen this advice. It took me a long time to get an emergency fund together … but now that I have…
Expert advice on emergency funds:
Even though it’s a last resort, that money should be available at a moment’s notice, Jarvis says. Savings accounts, money market funds, CDs, 401(k)s or even IRAs are good options, but some charge fees for early withdrawals.
Make contributing to your emergency fund part of your budget by giving a little every week or month until you build up to those six months of savings.
If you’re carrying a lot of debt, Jarvis recommends building up your emergency fund before anything else, even if it means scaling back on debt payments. Kimberly Palmer, a personal finance expert at NerdWallet, agrees, explaining, “Having that emergency savings fund can help prevent you from accruing even more debt if you face an unexpected emergency.”
Once you get some emergency savings, make sure you only use it for true emergencies. “Here’s a good barometer: Consider whether you actually need something to survive,” Jarvis says. “If you don’t, it’s not an emergency.”
Source: Good Morning America
