Emergency Fund

At one time or another, we will all experience an unexpected financial emergency. That could be a medical bill, car repairs or a surprise ticket. Having money in savings makes these emergencies an inconvenience rather than a catastrophe.

Watch

Quick tips

• Make it automatic — Send a portion of your paycheck directly to a savings account or use an app that rounds up charges and places the difference into a savings account.
• Save your windfalls — If you receive a tax refund, scholarship refund or financial gift, place a portion directly into savings.
• Swap out expensive habits —Try finding ways to save while still doing the things you love. Swap out online shopping for thrift shopping, get your hair or nails done at a student salon, borrow books from the library or have friends over for a meal at home. Reroute the money saved into your emergency fund or savings.

Read

• Emergency Fund: What It Is and Why It Matters – NerdWallet
• Do College Students Really Need Emergency Funds Too? – The College Investor
• 31 Money Saving Tricks for Students - FastWeb
• iGrad Budgeting Page 

Calculators

• Simple Savings Calculator - Bankrate

Practice

You may think your budget is too tight to save, but even small savings can add up over time. The two charts below break saving down into easy goals by week. Tape a chart to your wall and with just a few dollars each week, you can save $500 or $1,000 in a year!

• $500 Savings Chart (PDF)
• $1,000 Savings Chart (PDF)

Ways to save at UMKC 

UMKC is full of resources waiting for you! From free fitness classes for all UMKC Students to free tablets for qualifying students. Check out some of UMKC's resources here!

These recommendations are being provided for informational purposes only; they do not constitute an endorsement or approval by the University of Missouri-Kansas City. The University of Missouri-Kansas City bears no responsibility for the accuracy, legality or content of the resources listed.