{"id":2322,"date":"2023-02-17T16:58:09","date_gmt":"2023-02-17T16:58:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.nerdwallet.com\/au\/?page_id=2322"},"modified":"2024-04-05T22:04:50","modified_gmt":"2024-04-05T22:04:50","slug":"emergency-fund","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.nerdwallet.com\/au\/personal-finance\/emergency-fund","title":{"rendered":"Emergency Fund: What It Is And How To Start One"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<div class=\"wp-block-group is-layout-flow wp-block-group-is-layout-flow\">\n<p class=\"\">Everyone needs to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nerdwallet.com\/au\/personal-finance\/how-to-save-money\">save money<\/a> for the unexpected. Having something in reserve that\u2019s ready for emergencies can mean the difference between weathering a short-term financial storm or going deep into <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nerdwallet.com\/au\/personal-finance\/debt-impact-financial-health\">debt<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" style=\"font-style:normal;font-weight:400\">What is an emergency fund?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"\"><strong>An emergency fund is a bank account<\/strong> with money set aside to pay for large, unexpected expenses, such as:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"\">\n<li class=\"\">Unforeseen medical bills.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"\">Home appliance repairs or replacements.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"\">Major car fixes.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"\">Unemployment.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-extra-large-font-size\" style=\"font-style:normal;font-weight:400\">Why do I need an emergency fund?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"\">Emergency funds create a financial buffer that can keep you afloat in a time of need without relying on credit cards or high-interest loans. It can be especially important to have an emergency fund if <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nerdwallet.com\/au\/personal-finance\/good-debt-vs-bad-debt\">you\u2019re dealing with debt<\/a> because it can help you avoid borrowing more.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"\"><strong>\u00bb MORE:<\/strong> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nerdwallet.com\/au\/personal-finance\/how-to-get-out-of-debt\">How to Get Out of Debt<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-extra-large-font-size\" style=\"font-style:normal;font-weight:400\">How much should I save?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"\"><strong>The short answer: <\/strong>If starting small, try to set aside at least $500, but work your way up to half a year\u2019s worth of expenses.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"\"><strong>The long answer: <\/strong>The right amount for you depends on your financial circumstances, but a good rule of thumb is to have enough to cover three to six months\u2019 worth of living expenses. (For example, you might need more if you freelance, work seasonally or if your job would be hard to replace.) If you do lose your job, you could use the money to pay for necessities while you find a new one, or the funds could supplement your unemployment benefits.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"\">The most important thing is just to start building an emergency fund, however small it is. Having even $500 saved can get you out of many financial scrapes. Put something away now, and build your fund over time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"\"><strong>\u00bb MORE:<\/strong> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nerdwallet.com\/au\/personal-finance\/tracking-monthly-expenses\">Tracking monthly expenses: The first step to money success<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-extra-large-font-size\" style=\"font-style:normal;font-weight:400\">Where do I put my emergency fund?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"\"><strong>A savings account with a high interest rate and easy access. <\/strong>Because an emergency can strike at any time, having quick access is crucial. So it shouldn\u2019t be tied up in a long-term investment fund. But the account should be separate from the bank account you use daily so you\u2019re not tempted to dip into your reserves.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"\"><strong>A high-interest savings account <\/strong>is a good place for your money. These accounts typically earn much more interest than everyday accounts You can access your cash quickly when needed, whether through a withdrawal or a funds transfer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" style=\"font-style:normal;font-weight:400\">How to build an emergency fund<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-nerdwallet-blocks-how-to c-block-how-to\" itemscope itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/HowTo\"><p class=\"hidden\" hidden itemprop=\"name\">Emergency Fund: What It Is and How to Start One<\/p><h2 class=\"c-block-how-to__jump-links--title\"><\/h2>\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-nerdwallet-blocks-how-to-item c-block-how-to-item\" itemprop=\"step\" itemscope itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/HowToStep\"><link itemprop=\"url\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nerdwallet.com\/au\/personal-finance\/emergency-fund#calculate-the-total-that-you-want-to-save\"\/><h3 itemprop=\"name\" id=\"calculate-the-total-that-you-want-to-save\" class=\"c-block-how-to-item__title\">Calculate the total that you want to save<\/h3><div itemprop=\"itemListElement\" itemscope itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/HowToDirection\"><div itemprop=\"text\">\n\n<p>If you\u2019re unsure where to start, write down all your expenses in six months, and use that as a guide.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-nerdwallet-blocks-how-to-item c-block-how-to-item\" itemprop=\"step\" itemscope itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/HowToStep\"><link itemprop=\"url\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nerdwallet.com\/au\/personal-finance\/emergency-fund#set-a-monthly-savings-goal\"\/><h3 itemprop=\"name\" id=\"set-a-monthly-savings-goal\" class=\"c-block-how-to-item__title\">Set a monthly savings goal<\/h3><div itemprop=\"itemListElement\" itemscope itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/HowToDirection\"><div itemprop=\"text\">\n\n<p>This will <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nerdwallet.com\/au\/personal-finance\/money-management-skills\">get you into the habit<\/a> of saving regularly and will make the task less daunting. One way to do this is by automatically transferring funds to your high-interest savings account each time you get paid.<\/p>\n\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-nerdwallet-blocks-how-to-item c-block-how-to-item\" itemprop=\"step\" itemscope itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/HowToStep\"><link itemprop=\"url\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nerdwallet.com\/au\/personal-finance\/emergency-fund#move-money-into-your-savings-account-automatically\"\/><h3 itemprop=\"name\" id=\"move-money-into-your-savings-account-automatically\" class=\"c-block-how-to-item__title\">Move money into your savings account automatically<\/h3><div itemprop=\"itemListElement\" itemscope itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/HowToDirection\"><div itemprop=\"text\">\n\n<p>If your employer offers electronic payments there\u2019s a good chance they can divide your paycheque between multiple everyday and savings accounts so that your <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nerdwallet.com\/au\/personal-finance\/financial-goals-definition-and-examples\">monthly savings goal<\/a> is taken care of without touching your everyday account.<\/p>\n\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-nerdwallet-blocks-how-to-item c-block-how-to-item\" itemprop=\"step\" itemscope itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/HowToStep\"><link itemprop=\"url\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nerdwallet.com\/au\/personal-finance\/emergency-fund#keep-the-change\"\/><h3 itemprop=\"name\" id=\"keep-the-change\" class=\"c-block-how-to-item__title\">Keep the change<\/h3><div itemprop=\"itemListElement\" itemscope itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/HowToDirection\"><div itemprop=\"text\">\n\n<p>Round-up apps, like Wisr, do exactly that: round up the purchase amounts on your transactions and automatically transfer the extra amount to a savings account. Let\u2019s say you buy something that costs $9.80 \u2014 the app will deposit 20 cents into your savings account.<\/p>\n\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-nerdwallet-blocks-how-to-item c-block-how-to-item\" itemprop=\"step\" itemscope itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/HowToStep\"><link itemprop=\"url\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nerdwallet.com\/au\/personal-finance\/emergency-fund#save-your-tax-refund\"\/><h3 itemprop=\"name\" id=\"save-your-tax-refund\" class=\"c-block-how-to-item__title\">Save your tax refund<\/h3><div itemprop=\"itemListElement\" itemscope itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/HowToDirection\"><div itemprop=\"text\">\n\n<p>You get a shot at this once a year \u2014 and only if you expect a refund. Saving it can be an easy way to boost your emergency stash. When you file your taxes, consider having your refund deposited directly into your emergency account.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-nerdwallet-blocks-how-to-item c-block-how-to-item\" itemprop=\"step\" itemscope itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/HowToStep\"><link itemprop=\"url\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nerdwallet.com\/au\/personal-finance\/emergency-fund#assess-and-adjust-contributions\"\/><h3 itemprop=\"name\" id=\"assess-and-adjust-contributions\" class=\"c-block-how-to-item__title\">Assess and adjust contributions<\/h3><div itemprop=\"itemListElement\" itemscope itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/HowToDirection\"><div itemprop=\"text\">\n\n<p>Check in after a few months to see how much you\u2019re saving, and adjust if needed, especially if you recently withdrew money from your emergency fund. On the other hand, if you\u2019ve saved up enough to cover six months of expenses and have extra cash, you might consider investing the additional funds instead.<\/p>\n\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:10px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"\"><strong>When saving, draw a line between emergencies and everything else. <\/strong>In fact, once you\u2019ve hit a reasonable threshold of emergency savings, it\u2019s a good idea to begin another savings account for irregular but inevitable items, such as car maintenance, holidays and clothing. If you need help staying organised, many banks allow customers to create and label sub-accounts for different <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nerdwallet.com\/au\/personal-finance\/financial-goals-definition-and-examples\">financial goals<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:10px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"\"><strong>\u00bb MORE:<\/strong> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nerdwallet.com\/au\/personal-finance\/discretionary-spending\">Discretionary spending: The extras, not essentials<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:10px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center\"><em>If you\u2019re in the United States, read <\/em><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nerdwallet.com\/article\/banking\/emergency-fund-why-it-matters\"><em>this article<\/em><\/a><em> on the NerdWallet US site.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:10px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"nwb-authors nwb-authors__footer wp-block-nerdwallet-blocks-authors-card\">\n\t<div class=\"nwb-authors__wrapper\">\n\t\t<h4 class=\"nwb-authors__title\">\n\t\t\tAbout the Author\t\t<\/h4>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"nwb-authors__content\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.nerdwallet.com\/au\/author\/katia-iervasi\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<img\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tclass=\"nwb-authors__image\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tsrc=\"https:\/\/www.nerdwallet.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2022\/10\/katia-100x100.jpeg\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\twidth=\"120\" height=\"120\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\talt=\"Katia Iervasi photo\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\/>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.nerdwallet.com\/au\/author\/katia-iervasi\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<strong>Katia Iervasi<\/strong>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"nwb-authors__bio\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>Katia Iervasi is an assistant assigning editor and spokesperson at NerdWallet US. An insurance authority, she previously spent over six years covering insurance topics as a writer, where she loved&hellip;<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.nerdwallet.com\/au\/author\/katia-iervasi\" title=\"Read more about Katia Iervasi\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span>Read more about Katia Iervasi and explore their articles<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n\t<section class=\"c-block-card-grid container\"\n\t\t\t>\n\t\t\t\t\t<h4 class=\"c-block-card-grid__title\">\n\t\t\t\tDIVE EVEN DEEPER\t\t\t<\/h4>\n\t\t\n\t\t<div class=\"c-block-card-grid-scroll column-four\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"c-block-card-grid-scroll__column\">\n<div id=\"post-1984\" class=\"c-block-card post-1984 page type-page status-publish has-post-thumbnail hentry content-classification-personal-finance topic-budgeting cluster-budget-planner\">\n\t<div class=\"c-block-card__inner c-block-card__inner--large\">\n\t\t\t<a class=\"c-block-card__image-wrapper\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nerdwallet.com\/au\/personal-finance\/what-is-a-budget\" rel=\"bookmark\">\n\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" width=\"435\" height=\"290\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nerdwallet.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2023\/01\/what-is-a-budget-435x290.jpg\" class=\"c-block-card__image wp-post-image\" alt=\"What Is a Budget?\" \/>\t<\/a><!-- .c-entry__thumbnail -->\n\t\t\t<div class=\"c-block-card__content-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\n<h4 class=\"c-block-card__title\">\n\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.nerdwallet.com\/au\/personal-finance\/what-is-a-budget\" rel=\"bookmark\" class=\"c-block-card__title-link\">\n\t\tWhat Is a Budget?\t<\/a>\n<\/h4>\n\n\t<div class=\"c-block-card__content\">\n\t\t<p>A budget is a way to balance income, expenses and financial goals and better monitor your money.<\/p>\n\t<\/div>\n\n\t<div class=\"c-block-card__authors\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"nw-written-by-layout-inline\">\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<div class=\"nw-written-by-layout-inline--wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.nerdwallet.com\/au\/author\/katia-iervasi\" class=\"author url fn\" rel=\"author\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"32\" height=\"32\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nerdwallet.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2022\/10\/katia-40x40.jpeg\" class=\"avatar avatar-32 photo wp-post-image\" alt=\"\" \/>Katia Iervasi<\/a>\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div><!-- .c-card__content-wrapper -->\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div><!-- #post-1984 -->\n<\/div><div class=\"c-block-card-grid-scroll__column\">\n<div id=\"post-466\" class=\"c-block-card post-466 page type-page status-publish has-post-thumbnail hentry content-classification-personal-finance topic-financial-planning cluster-financial-advice\">\n\t<div class=\"c-block-card__inner c-block-card__inner--large\">\n\t\t\t<a class=\"c-block-card__image-wrapper\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nerdwallet.com\/au\/personal-finance\/money-management-skills\" rel=\"bookmark\">\n\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" width=\"460\" height=\"244\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nerdwallet.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2022\/10\/money-management-e1723698510651-460x244.jpg\" class=\"c-block-card__image wp-post-image\" alt=\"7 Money Management Skills To Master ASAP\" \/>\t<\/a><!-- .c-entry__thumbnail -->\n\t\t\t<div class=\"c-block-card__content-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\n<h4 class=\"c-block-card__title\">\n\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.nerdwallet.com\/au\/personal-finance\/money-management-skills\" rel=\"bookmark\" class=\"c-block-card__title-link\">\n\t\t7 Money Management Skills To Master ASAP\t<\/a>\n<\/h4>\n\n\t<div class=\"c-block-card__content\">\n\t\t<p>Set yourself on the path to financial freedom by developing these key money management skills.<\/p>\n\t<\/div>\n\n\t<div class=\"c-block-card__authors\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"nw-written-by-layout-inline\">\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<div class=\"nw-written-by-layout-inline--wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.nerdwallet.com\/au\/author\/amanda-smith\" class=\"author url fn\" rel=\"author\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"32\" height=\"32\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nerdwallet.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2022\/10\/AmandaSmith1-edited-scaled-e1725395436514-40x40.jpg\" class=\"avatar avatar-32 photo wp-post-image\" alt=\"\" \/>Amanda Smith<\/a>\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div><!-- .c-card__content-wrapper -->\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div><!-- #post-466 -->\n<\/div><div class=\"c-block-card-grid-scroll__column\">\n<div id=\"post-442\" class=\"c-block-card post-442 page type-page status-publish has-post-thumbnail hentry content-classification-personal-finance topic-budgeting cluster-navigating-low-income\">\n\t<div class=\"c-block-card__inner c-block-card__inner--large\">\n\t\t\t<a class=\"c-block-card__image-wrapper\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nerdwallet.com\/au\/personal-finance\/minimum-wage-australia\" rel=\"bookmark\">\n\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" width=\"460\" height=\"245\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nerdwallet.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2022\/10\/minimum-wage-e1721670890570-460x245.jpg\" class=\"c-block-card__image wp-post-image\" alt=\"What is the Minimum Wage in Australia?\" \/>\t<\/a><!-- .c-entry__thumbnail -->\n\t\t\t<div class=\"c-block-card__content-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\n<h4 class=\"c-block-card__title\">\n\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.nerdwallet.com\/au\/personal-finance\/minimum-wage-australia\" rel=\"bookmark\" class=\"c-block-card__title-link\">\n\t\tWhat is the Minimum Wage in Australia?\t<\/a>\n<\/h4>\n\n\t<div class=\"c-block-card__content\">\n\t\t<p>A minimum wage is the lowest amount you can be paid for doing a job.<\/p>\n\t<\/div>\n\n\t<div class=\"c-block-card__authors\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"nw-written-by-layout-inline\">\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<div class=\"nw-written-by-layout-inline--wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.nerdwallet.com\/au\/author\/kristie-kwok\" class=\"author url fn\" rel=\"author\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"32\" height=\"32\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nerdwallet.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2022\/10\/KristieKwok-150x150.jpg\" class=\"avatar avatar-32 photo wp-post-image\" alt=\"\" \/>Kristie Kwok<\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nerdwallet.com\/au\/author\/georgia-rose\" class=\"author url fn\" rel=\"author\"><img alt='Georgia Rose profile photo' decoding=\"async\" src='https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/6b9e515bc45988c863ac8ac39e7bdd34?s=32&#038;d=mm&#038;r=g' class='avatar avatar-32 photo' height='32' width='32' \/>Georgia Rose<\/a>\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div><!-- .c-card__content-wrapper -->\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div><!-- #post-442 -->\n<\/div><div class=\"c-block-card-grid-scroll__column\">\n<div id=\"post-282\" class=\"c-block-card post-282 page type-page status-publish has-post-thumbnail hentry content-classification-personal-loans topic-small-personal-loans cluster-small-personal-loan-basics\">\n\t<div class=\"c-block-card__inner c-block-card__inner--large\">\n\t\t\t<a class=\"c-block-card__image-wrapper\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nerdwallet.com\/au\/loans\/need-money-now\" rel=\"bookmark\">\n\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" width=\"460\" height=\"244\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nerdwallet.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2022\/10\/find-cash-fast-e1723698983788-460x244.jpg\" class=\"c-block-card__image wp-post-image\" alt=\"16 Ways to Find Fast Cash\" \/>\t<\/a><!-- .c-entry__thumbnail -->\n\t\t\t<div class=\"c-block-card__content-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\n<h4 class=\"c-block-card__title\">\n\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.nerdwallet.com\/au\/loans\/need-money-now\" rel=\"bookmark\" class=\"c-block-card__title-link\">\n\t\t16 Ways to Find Fast Cash\t<\/a>\n<\/h4>\n\n\t<div class=\"c-block-card__content\">\n\t\t<p>Need money now? Learn how to get fast cash, and the types of loans to avoid when you\u2019re strapped for cash.<\/p>\n\t<\/div>\n\n\t<div class=\"c-block-card__authors\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"nw-written-by-layout-inline\">\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<div class=\"nw-written-by-layout-inline--wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.nerdwallet.com\/au\/author\/katia-iervasi\" class=\"author url fn\" rel=\"author\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"32\" height=\"32\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nerdwallet.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2022\/10\/katia-40x40.jpeg\" class=\"avatar avatar-32 photo wp-post-image\" alt=\"\" \/>Katia Iervasi<\/a>\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div><!-- .c-card__content-wrapper -->\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div><!-- #post-282 -->\n<\/div>\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/section>\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>An emergency fund is an account with money set aside for big, unexpected expenses. Here&#8217;s how to start building one for peace of mind.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":2325,"parent":124,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"page-templates\/article-sidebar.php","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"apple_news_api_created_at":"","apple_news_api_id":"","apple_news_api_modified_at":"","apple_news_api_revision":"","apple_news_api_share_url":"","apple_news_coverimage":0,"apple_news_coverimage_caption":"","apple_news_is_hidden":false,"apple_news_is_paid":false,"apple_news_is_preview":false,"apple_news_is_sponsored":false,"apple_news_maturity_rating":"","apple_news_metadata":"\"\"","apple_news_pullquote":"","apple_news_pullquote_position":"","apple_news_slug":"","apple_news_sections":"[]","apple_news_suppress_video_url":false,"apple_news_use_image_component":false,"footnotes":"","_nw_pros_cons_block_schema":""},"content-classification":[8],"topic":[302],"cluster":[402],"pp_author":[88],"acf":[],"apple_news_notices":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v22.1 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>Emergency Fund: What It Is And How To Start One - NerdWallet Australia<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"An emergency fund is an account with money set aside for big, unexpected expenses. 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