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Maybe it feels like youre on a treadmill, always running but never getting ahead.
When payday rolls around, you breathe a sigh of relief.
But that feeling doesnt last long.
Living like this can cause a lot ofstress and anxiety.
You could wind up feeling guilty for treating yourself or lose sleep worrying about surprise expenses.
Meanwhile, the idea of saving for the future seems out of reach.
It may not sound exciting, especially if youve never needed an emergency fund before.
But when an emergency expense does arise, youll be grateful for it.
This keeps you from going into debt.
And if youre just scraping by, thats the last thing you need.
The thing is, you’ve got the option to start small, said Kullberg.
Start by setting aside just five or ten dollars a week.
Its not a lot, but it will add up over time.
But that amount probably feels overwhelming when youre just starting out.
If youre truly just scraping by, that goal can feel about as realistic as winning the lottery.
But dont let that discourage you.
Start small and work your way up.
Maybe your first goal is just $500 in the bank.
That might cover asurprise car repairor help if your hours get cut at work.
Once you hit that, shoot for $1,000.
Then maybe aim for one full month of expenses saved up.
Every dollar you save is a win, even if its just a little bit here and there.
The point is to start somewhere and keep at it.
Before you know it, youll have a nice little cushion to help you sleep better at night.
When that time comes and you have to dip into yoursavings, dont get discouraged.
Remember, this is exactly why youve been building your fund.
Treat this as a priority, just as you did when you first started saving.
And use the experience as a reminder of why having your emergency fund is so important.
It might even motivate you to aim for alarger safety netthis time around.
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