Emergency Funds
The purpose of an emergency fund is to provide a safety net that can be utilised to cover unforeseen costs such as illness or emergency home renovations. In terms of financial security, emergency funds are regarded as a must.
It can provide you with financial resources that you can use and rely on in an emergency, such as when you’re sick and need to pay huge medical bills, or when you need to make major home or car repairs.
An emergency fund is a separate saving or bank account used to pay or reimburse expenses in an emergency. They are cash savings specifically used for unplanned expenses and emergencies.
Importance of Emergency Fund
When you have an emergency fund set aside, you won’t be tempted to take on credit card debt, which could take years to repay due to the additional interest payments.
However, by setting aside an extra £50 to £100 per month in an individual emergency savings account, you will be prepared for whatever disaster may arise in the future.
It’s also a good idea to think of the emergency fund as an extra expense that needs to be paid on time each month.
With savings set aside specifically for lost income, medical bills, or unforeseen car problems, you’ll be better prepared for any crisis.
Having emergency funds can take a huge burden off your shoulders when you run into unexpected expenses, making them more inconvenient than financial.
While there is room in your monthly budget to cover expenses, it is good to be prepared for a major emergency. Financial Planning Experts generally recommend having an emergency fund with living expenses of three to six months, the amount you should set aside depends on your situation.
How Much Should My Emergency Fund Be
You won’t be able to save much money in a time of financial hardship like the coronavirus epidemic, but even a few hundred dollars is a start.
However, it is important to set aside a regular amount, so that you have enough money for contingencies.
If you are a lone breadwinner, business owner, or someone with highly variable income may want to spend nine or 12 months in their emergency savings account,
You may have a savings fund that you can use to cover unforeseen expenses, such as expenses for car repairs or a new refrigerator after it breaks. You can have as many savings funds as you need, depending on your life situation.
A savings account or money market account can be a great place for your emergency fund. You must deposit the emergency funds in a relatively easily accessible account, such as a high-yield savings account, so you can withdraw the funds within a few days.
Try to determine how quickly you may need to use these funds in an emergency, and how to transfer, withdraw, or use these funds.
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Emergency Savings Fund
With so many possible reasons why you should use an emergency fund, you must prepare and build a reliable fund to prevent unexpected expenses that could lead you to financial ruin.
The first step in setting up an emergency fund is to calculate how much money you can save each month.
Determine how much you need to reserve for the types of expenses you have. What’s important is that you should regularly put a certain amount of money aside, and only use it for real emergencies.
This is not an investment, the success of your long-term savings funds does not count on the amount of return or interests but on saving a fixed amount of money away constantly and steadily so that you can have immediate access to it at all times.
Regardless of your financial situation, the first step in creating an emergency fund is to figure out where your money is already being spent.
Once you learn and find where your earnings are spent, it will be easier for you to determine and make a decision where to minimise spending.
To put it another way, budget.
Saving will become a habit, similar to paying rent or a mortgage.
If you know you have a regular job or money coming in regularly, you can make it a habit to put some of it into an emergency savings fund.
When you’re looking for a new job, the money you’ve set up in your emergency fund can come in handy. or looking for additional sources of income.
But instead of another account that you use from time to time for non-essential things, your emergency fund should be a dedicated reserve of living expenses for up to several months, held in a secure and accessible account, from which you can only withdraw if necessary.
On the other hand, if you have saved enough to cover six months of expenses and you have extra money, you might consider investing additional funds instead or starting a medium-term savings and investment plan.
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The advantages of having an emergency fund
An emergency fund allows you to live comfortably for a few months if you lose your work or if anything unforeseen occurs that requires a large sum of money. Many banks and financial gurus say that you should save anywhere from three to six months’ worth of earnings in your emergency fund.
After You’ve Saved An Emergency Fund, Here Are seven steps you can take next:
- Create a new savings account.
- Saving For A Home.
- Put money aside for retirement.
- Begin a College Fund for Your Children.
- Pay More Towards Your Mortgage.
- Set Aside Money For Future Needs.
- Relax and have a good time.
To avoid using up your emergency savings, it also makes sense to separate your emergency fund from the money you spend on a day to day basis as well as other types of savings.
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Where To Keep Emergency Fund
The best location to put emergency funds is in an interest-bearing bank account, such as a money market or an interest-bearing savings account, which can be accessed without incurring any fees or penalties.
The problem with placing your emergency savings in mutual funds, stocks, or other assets is that they can lose value if you need to quickly access funds.
When you need to use your emergency fund, consider withdrawing from more liquid accounts first if you’ve split your emergency savings between highly liquid and less affordable accounts.
While keeping money in a savings account may be the safest approach, there are other relatively safe ways to keep some of your emergency funds that offer more earning potential.