Your car just broke down and you don’t have the money to repair it! Don’t you wish you had an emergency fund to pay for it?
What's your first step?
Gabby and Jay are going to tell us how they did it!
For one-week Gabby and Jay tracked every receipt and purchase they made including the ones for their computers. They kept all their receipts and expenses and wrote them down in a note book. They included every purchase they made even small purchases for sodas, snacks, lunches, dinners, breakfasts, groceries, going to the movies, purchasing snacks, gas for their cars, cigarettes, and any other items they purchased that week. Jay and Gabby also wrote down their weekly spending for pay pal accounts, group on offers, credit cards, game accounts and iTunes accounts on their computers.
Gabby saved all her receipts for one week and totaled all her receipts. She looked at her first couple of receipts and realized she had gone to Starbucks with her friends 5 times that week spending $4 a day for Coffee, a total of $20 for the week. She decided to go to Starbucks with her friends three times the next week, and invites her friends to share coffee at her house two days a week, and puts the $8 she saved into her Piggy Bank to start her $1000 Emergency Fund. In a months' time Gabby realizes she will save $32 and in 6 months she will save $192 towards her $1000 Emergency Nest Egg Fund.
Gabby continues looking at her receipts and realizes she bought 3 packs of cigarettes a week at $5.50 a package, $16.50 a week. Gabby says, "I spent $66 a month on cigarettes. If I cut down my smoking to a pack a week I can put $11 into my "Piggy Bank" for my Emergency Fund each week and in a month's time I will have saved a total of $44 in my "Piggy Bank" toward my $1000 Emergency Nest Egg Fund. In 6 months I will have saved $264 toward my $1000 Emergency Nest Egg Fund."
Gabby says, "If I continue to go through my receipts and eliminate the items I don't need or cut down other expenses I will have my Emergency Fund in place in less than 6 months. By cutting back on Cigarettes and coffee I've already saved $76 this month. I will go through my receipts and look at what else I can eliminate or cut down on. My goal is to have my Emergency Fund in place in 6 months. I am determined to do it!"
Jay has saved all his receipts for one week and totaled all his receipts. He looks at his first set of receipts and realizes he has 5 days of lunches at $8 a lunch for five days and he's spent $40 on lunches this week. He says, "If I bring a bag lunch to work three days a week, I can save $24 to put in my "Tin Can" to start my $1000 Emergency Nest Egg Fund. In a month's time I will have saved $96." Jay then goes to his computer receipts and realizes he's spend $45 a week on his computer for his PayPal accounts, Groupon offers, credit cards, game accounts and his iTunes account. He says, "Do I really need these accounts, are they going to help me get my Emergency Fund up and running? These purchases are bleeding away my hard earned money. I'm going to close these accounts. That way I can put $180 a month into my "Tin Can" to save for my $1000 Emergency Fund. I will go through my receipts and look at what else I can eliminate or cut down on. My goal is to have my Emergency Fund in place in 6 months. I know I can do it!"
So, what are the three steps for you to save for your $1000 Emergency just like Jay and Gabby?
Track your spending for one week. Keep all your receipts and expenses for the week, writing them down in a note book, and at the end of the week add them together to get your total expenses for the week. Include every purchase you make even small purchases for sodas, snacks, lunches, dinners, breakfasts, groceries, going to the movies, purchasing snacks, gas for your car, cigarettes, and any other items you purchased that week. Also list your weekly spending for pay pal accounts, group on offers, credit cards, game accounts and iTunes accounts on your computer.
2. Evaluate each of your receipts, just like Gabby and Jay did, and decide if it is a needed expense or not and start putting your saved money into your Emergency Fund "Piggy Bank or Tin Bank".
3) Look at your computer receipts like Jay did and decide if your weekly pay pal accounts, group on offers, credit cards, game accounts, and iTunes accounts on your computer can be eliminated or cut back.
Jay turned off his pay pal account, his Groupon offers, his game accounts, his iTunes account and stopped spending his credit card money on things he didn't need.
Jay said, "These purchases are bleeding away my hard-earned money."
By following these three steps and being determined and disciplined to do it, you will be like Gabby and Jay, able to set up your $1000 Emergency Fund.
You can also save on gas for your car each week by being aware of which gas station has a special day for saving 5 cents for each gallon you purchase. In our City it's every Thursday. What day is it in your City or town? Every penny you save can go into your $1000 Emergency Nest Egg Fund. The sooner you start the sooner you will have your $1000 Emergency Fund in place.
This article is the second of four articles on teaching you, to take hold of your finances. ©2024, 2019 Madeline Frank
Madeline Frank, Ph.D., DTM is an Amazon.com Best Selling Author, speaker, business owner, teacher, John Maxwell Team Member, conductor, and concert artist. She helps businesses and organizations “Tune Up their Business”. Her observations show you the blue prints necessary to improve and keep your business successful. Her latest book “Leadership On A Shoestring Budget” is available everywhere books are sold. If you need a speaker contact Madeline at: mfrankviola@gmail.com
