Tips & Tricks

No matter what financial hurdles you’ve faced in your life, you’ve probably found that these unexpected issues (like a job loss, an appliance that goes out, or a car that breaks down) all instill the importance of being prepared for the future. When we think about being ready to handle life’s financial pitfalls, one of the most important things we can have is an emergency fund. With inflation still eating into our budgets, it may feel almost impossible to save right now, but there are creative ways to start adding to your stash now that won’t impact your daily life, even when times are tight.

Once you’ve decided it’s time to create a budget, or get back on track with an updated spending plan, you’ll have more than a few options to choose from. You can go old school and use notebooks, or spreadsheets to stay organized, or you can grab your laptop, phone or tablet and investigate budgeting apps. All of these can be effective ways to keep track of your spending and saving as you begin the extremely satisfying journey of telling your money what to do every month.

Let’s be honest. The majority of Americans — 60% — don’t know how much money they spend in a month. They also have little idea…