Forty-one percent of Americans believe they would be able to cover a $1,000 emergency with savings, according to a survey conducted by BankRate in January, 2020. The chickens certainly came home to roost with the COVID-19 pandemic! The more disturbing findings of the survey were that 37% of the respondents would use their credit card to resolve the emergency. The lack of savings in the United States has reached critical stages for most families. To prepare your family for inevitable times of critical cash flow emergencies, I am providing you a proven strategy that will provide you with the confidence to weather emergencies in the future.
Some of the most common “emergencies” to strike families are automobile mechanical damages, large appliance failures, emergency medical care and loss of employment. Just one of these instances could spell disaster for your family without adequate savings to mitigate the disruption. During the pandemic, too many people have felt the anxious feeling of unemployment and wondering how their family will survive. Luckily, for many, the state and federal unemployment programs have been far richer in benefits than otherwise could have been. With the temporary additional federal unemployment benefit of $600, some individuals have “earned” more cash flow while being unemployed than experienced from their actual job.
First, review your expenditures currently experienced by your family and choose one item of lesser importance to you from the list. This is the item that will no longer be purchased and the funds previously spent for this item will be automatically drafted each month from your checking account to your savings account. What this process does is take away the resistance of human nature to change by asking your financial institution to do the hard work for you. How this is accomplished is by visiting (or calling) your bank and asking them to perform an ACH (automated clearing house) transaction for you in a specific amount on the same date each month. Once you have adjusted your mindset to the alleviation of this item, choose the next least desired item on your list and continue this process until your family’s budget reflects only those expenditures that truly provide your family enjoyment. The ultimate goal of the process of saving for your future is to maintain 90 to 120 days of living expenses in a liquid account in case (and they always do) an emergency strikes your family.
Second, if you are capable, consider seeking a part-time job or side gig. During the summer months you may have an opportunity to work in the evenings or weekends performing odd jobs or lawn work to increase your cash savings. This seasonal employment activity is an excellent method of increasing your cash reserves but may also tempt you to increase your lifestyle. This is where discipline must be exerted. Let’s say you earned an additional $200 in a week on your evening job. If you deposit these funds in your bank account, ask your bank to transfer them to your savings account instead of leaving them in your checking account. By performing this transfer your account will appear as though you have the same amount as always but your savings account will be increasing for your family’s safety. Any incremental increase in income, such as a bonus from your employer, should be treated in a similar manner.
Lastly, you may have accumulated assets which you no longer use such as additional lawn equipment, stored furniture, etc. Why not sell these items and place the proceeds in your family’s emergency fund? You may be surprised what someone will pay for a used piece of equipment!
The key to providing confidence and security for your family is the consistent monitoring of expenditures coupled with a mindset toward saving. Your bank most likely has an app for your phone that you can access with a couple of clicks. The challenge is to forgo looking at the increasing savings account everyday thinking it is available to you for a family vacation or new TV. No, this money is for the next emergency to strike your family. You will be glad you were disciplined and can face the next catastrophe with greater security.
