We are all having to cope with rising costs and at a time when every penny seems to be accounted for to pay for food, fuel and other living costs, it would seem that building an emergency fund would be a little down the list of priorities.
Yet, there has never been a more vital time to build up an emergency pot to cope with the more irregular costs that come up, such as car breakdowns, boiler servicing and Christmas presents.
According to the Building Societies Association (BSA), more than a third (36%)1 of savers say they are relying on their savings to get them through the cost-of-living crisis. Given the concerns that incomes are not keeping up with rising costs, 13% of people who responded said they have no savings at all, while 33% said that if they lost their jobs and the income that provided, their savings would not cover their living costs for a month1.
Before looking at whether the family budget can sustain the burden of diverting money specifically to savings, it is important to look at how economies can be made, especially in reviewing current borrowing – not just mortgages, but also outstanding loans and credit/ store cards too.
However, it makes sense, not only to look at reviewing any existing borrowing, but also to build up a fund to help with unexpected bills, and something as simple as setting up a direct debit from your main bank current account to a secondary ‘piggy bank’ account can help, saving little and often every month to build up emergency savings that are there for when you need them.
Sources Building Societies Association (2022) With a third of people relying on their savings to get by, UK Savings Week aims to help those who can get into a better savings habit. Available at: https://www.bsa.org.uk/media-centre/press-releases/with-a-third-of-people-relying-on-their-savings-to (Accessed 21 October 2022)
