Featured Image My wife and I have always enjoyed our family of cats. We particularly enjoy their feline antics and high snuggle factor. For the longest time everything was fine, until one Sunday morning.We were awakened with a noise that sounded like something on the late night horror show. As we rushed down the stairs to the kitchen, we were startled to see “Pookie” curled up on the kitchen floor moaning and groaning. We had no idea what was bothering him. We scooped him up and took him to the pet emergency center. After an overnight stay, we returned to find him with a little bandage around his wrist and a veterinarian with a big smile. “He’s just fine!” the vet boasted. “Just a little dehydrated. We gave him fluids intravenously. He’ll be good as new by this evening.”Naturally, we were relieved, until we saw the bill: $750! It was our first unplanned emergency expense.We were able to recover from this financial setback by moving funds from our vacation savings without having to rely on a costly credit card. With the situation resolved, my brow still furrowed at the fact that I had to dip into my fun account to take care of this. I mean, I had been saving for an upcoming vacation that could have been compromised had the bill been any larger.It was at that moment that I committed to starting a dedicated emergency savings account. We started by seeding the account with a lump sum, then each pay period we each contribute a fixed amount. This was seven years ago. Today, we have a substantial amount saved that we can use to cover just about any emergency.The use of credit is not the best option for handling emergency situations, but neither is tapping into savings accounts designated for other purposes. That’s my motivation for establishing an emergency savings, and I’m sticking with it! Rex H.Rex works with the Membership Development Team at Virginia Credit Union. When he's not working, Rex and his wife practice the timely art of living below their means and paying cash for everything. This has enabled them to save for a secure retirement, take annual cruise vacations, and keep their cat, Gypsy, happy and content.Other stories by Rex H.
10 Savings Strategies Whether you’re looking to build an emergency fund, save for a down payment, or jump-start an early retirement, these 10 savings strategies can help you grow your nest egg and keep savings top of mind.