Have An Emergency Fund

Yesterday, I was in my kitchen, prepping dinner. I’d watched a video on TikTok about dehydrating strawberries in your oven and IT TASTES JUST LIKE CANDY, so naturally, had to try it.

🍓 I got the tray out, diced up my strawberries and turned on my oven and then BANG!! Sounded like my next door neighbor dropped an anvil on the floor. And then I noticed a very strong smell of gas, so I turned off my oven, called the gas company and not 5 minutes later, the fire department showed up.

👩‍🚒 They walked in, smelled gas and told me to wait in my hallway. My neighbor, who also happens to be my girlfriend, heard the commotion and came running. And now I know why firefighters have those sexy calendars. I had to cover her eyes.

🪓 And then one of the firefighters told me it was safe to come back in and handed me my tray of strawberries, “your berries, sir.”

🍳 Anyway, long story short: My oven is busted. It’s nearly 20 years old, so … time for a new one. And this is why it is SO important to have an emergency savings account.

Did you know most Americans cannot afford a $1000 emergency? I’d say not having an oven constitutes as an emergency … at least in my house where I am constantly cooking.

💰 This is why we have the emergency savings account (preferably in a high yield savings account so you can at least earn a little something while that money sits there.

☔️ I heard a great quote: Plan for the rainy days when it’s sunny out. Last thing you wanna do is scramble for that umbrella, know what I mean?

I’m the sorta person who HATES spending money. I’d rather invest it and see it grow, even if it’s just sitting in a HYSA. BUT. That’s what it’s for, so we headed to Bray and Scarff and bought an oven.

I know for people who truly live paycheck to paycheck, an article like this seems out of touch, but for so many of us, an emergency fund is something we CAN have with some careful budgeting.

A few hours later, $1182 was spent with the swipe of a card and my new oven is coming on Thursday.

Am I upset? Am I stressed? No. Because I have that HYSA. I plan for things like this. You should, too.