We live in a “spend, spend, spend” world, but although instant gratification is enjoyable, at some point everything or something could go pear-shaped.
No matter how prepared you think you are, it pays to have an emergency slush fund to fall back on. Once you have paid off your debts, financial experts all agree that you should have enough emergency fund or money stashed away to cover between three and six months of everyday expenses. This might seem a lot, but who knows what’s around the corner?
And just in case you are sitting there thinking you have it all covered, here are 25 unexpected reasons to have an emergency fund.
25 Reasons to Have an Emergency Fund
1. You Lose Your Job
There is no such thing as a job for life these days, and unless you are head-hunted on a daily basis, it pays to have an emergency reserve to fall back on until the right position becomes available.
2. Your Hours Are Cut
In an age of zero hours’ contracts, you may find that your employer slashes your hours and you are out of pocket. Would you be able to pay the bills if this happened?
3. You Get Promoted
Good news, but if the job involves a relocation to a new area, you might not be able to accept unless you have the funds in place to cover the cost of moving.
4. HMRC Sends You A Tax Bill
Hopefully this won’t happen to you, but if the Tax Man issues a demand, it is better not to make him wait for the cash…
5. Your Old Banger Goes Bang
Cars have a nasty habit of breaking down when you can least afford to pay for repairs. If your car is old, be extra prepared with an emergency fund.
Having an emergency fund means you can roll with whatever life throws at you instead of floundering.Click To Tweet
6. You Need A New Car
If your old banger can’t be repaired, it is time for a new car. But new cars don’t come cheap, and if they do, they don’t last long. A decent deposit will make a new car more affordable.
7. Your Dog Gets Run Over
Nobody wants this to happen, but if the worst does happen and you are not insured, the vet’s bill will be astronomical.My neighbour’s dog got ran over when she least expected – so take heed.
8. An Unexpected Utility Bill
Even if you pay the bills by monthly Direct Debit, it doesn’t mean you won’t be hit with an extra bill when the meter is read at the end of the year. Having money tucked away in a savings account could make a big difference.
9. The Boiler Breaks Down
Central heating repairs are a licence to print money for heating engineers, but you can have it covered if you have some money put aside.
10. You Succumb To A Nasty Illness
Taking a few days off work because of a bad cold won’t hurt, but a few months off on Statutory Sick Pay will be disastrous.
11. You Get Pregnant
An unexpected pregnancy will play havoc with your finances – for at least 18 years! At least you don’t have to worry quite so much if you have a decent amount of savings to fall back on.
It’s even worse when you discover you are expecting twins… Double the joy, but twice as expensive and therefore two great reasons to have an emergency fund!
12. Your Child Needs Orthodontist Treatment
The NHS will only cover the most severe of cases, so in a lot of cases orthodontist treatment will need to be paid for privately. Ouch.
13. Great Aunt Ethel Falls Ill
Travelling to visit a family member if they fall sick means time off work and travel expenses – and if they live a long way away, it will be costly.
14. A Friend In Need
If your best mate shows up on your doorstep and needs a place to stay, you might have to support them financially until they get back on their feet again.
15. Your Landlord Puts The Rent Up
Living in rental accommodation is one of the many reasons to have an emergency fund on standby.
16. Your Landlord Evicts You
Landlords can’t evict you without good reason, but they can ask you to leave with notice, and finding a new place to live can be costly. A similar situation is finding out….
17. Your Partner is Cheating on You
Discovering a partner is a cheating scumbag is traumatic enough, but if you live together you will need to have the financial resources to find somewhere else to live ASAP.
18. Your Partner Has A Secret Addiction
Imagine how terrible it would be if you found out that your partner had run up debts in your name to pay for his or her addictions. At least you will be able to keep your head above water if you have an emergency fund.
19. You Need To Escape An Abusive Partner
Starting over takes courage, but it also takes money. Don’t leave yourself in the position where you can’t afford to leave. Instead have your own emergency fund. Just in case.
20. A Last-Minute Hen Party
Your best mate invites you to her hen party, but it’s in Las Vegas. Of course you want to go, but without some savings in place, it’s not a viable proposition and you could end up missing out!
21. An Unexpected Funeral
If a friend or relative passes away unexpectedly, you will of course want to attend their funeral, but if this takes place abroad, it could be an expensive trip.
22. Stranded Abroad
Natural disasters, lost passports, family emergencies… all of these things mean unexpected expenses such as extra hotel bills or the cost of changing flights, which you can cover if you have savings in place.
Having an emergency fund means you can roll with whatever life throws at you.Click To Tweet
23. Identity Theft
Cyber crime is on the rise, so if it happens to you and someone steals your identity, you will need some emergency cash to cover everyday expenses while the bank reinstates your debit and credit cards.
24. Mid-Life Crisis
They say life begins at 40, but whatever age you are, if you suddenly wake up one day and decide it’s time to explore pastures new on a Harley Davidson, an emergency fund will help you “find yourself” in style.
25. Your Phone Needs Replacing
It may sound strange, but you’d be surprised by how many people drop their phones in toilets and down gutters. Unless you have an insurance plan that will cover you, you’ll likely need to shell out the cost for a new one. And smartphones don’t come cheap.
An Extra Reason to Have an Emergency Fund
Still looking for more unexpected reasons to have an emergency fund…
26. Mistaken Generosity
People give things away of value surprisingly often, including expensive vintage items, cash and jewellery.
If your partner has just taken a load of items to the charity shop, includingitems such as your precious bracelet ora book where you stashed your spare cash, you might need to dip into an emergency fund to recover the loss. You will be surprised how many people this has happened to.
Your Turn
Do you have other reasons to have an emergency fund? Having an emergency fund means you can roll with whatever life throws at you.So If you don’t yet have one, start saving today! And you can startby reading our guide on how to build an emergency fund you can be proud of.
We’d love to hear from you!
You Might Also Like
10 Easy Ways to Slash Your Monthly Bills
How to Build Emergency Fund in 6 Months (Even on a Tight Budget)
6 Simple Changes That Will Yield Big Results for Your Finances (+ Free Printable)
Here are Some Great Money Tools We Love
These amazing money tools will help you manage your money efficiently, save more and even make it enjoyable.
Easy way to track money: Cleo
Banking made easy: Monzo
Tax free investing: Fidelity ISA
Invest from as little as £1: Wealthify
Easy and automatic saving: Plum
Easy and automatic saving: Chip
Find the best deals and save money – MoneySupermarket
Compare the best holiday deals and save: TravelSupermarket
Access your credit score for free: Experian Credit Score
Write a legally binding will from the comfort of home: Beyond
Earn Money While You Spend: Quidco
Selling and buying your home made easy: YOPA
- About
- Latest Posts
Latest posts by Money Nuggets (see all)
- She’s Got Cents: Financial Lessons from Inspirational Women - March 2, 2024
- Love on a Budget: 12 Budget-Friendly Valentine’s Day Ideas - February 8, 2024
- Mastering Your Finances: How to Budget and Save (Even on a Low Income) - January 31, 2024
225 Shares
