Any kind of emergency can arise that requires more money than what you might have on hand. If you don’t have a savings account for emergency expenses, then it could mean taking money away from other bills that you have, which means that you would continue to get further behind on what you owe each month. There are several ways that you can put money into an account each year without even knowing that you’re saving money.

1. Keeping Leftover Change

When you use cash, there’s a good possibility that you’re going to get change back. These coins can be put in a small jar so that you can start building at least a small account at home. When the jar is full, you can take it to your bank to cash it in and then put the money into your savings account. Take the empty jar back home to start saving money all over again. This may seem insignificant at first, but you will be surprised to see just how much your spare change can add up over time.

2. Proper Maintenance

Sometimes, you have to spend extra money on emergencies because you might not stay on top of essential maintenance in your home. You should monitor everything from your appliances to your vehicle so that you are aware of issues before they result in getting something new instead of just getting repairs done. If possible, try to do as many of the repairs on your own as you can. If you need to hire someone for residential plumbing services or other companies that can perform necessary work, then try to look for businesses that offer discounts or that are smaller than franchises as you can usually save money this way.

3. Expenses

Examine all of the expenses that you have each month. If there’s something that you know you don’t need, such as a cable package or going out to eat, then cut those expenses from your budget. The money that you would normally spend on these expenses can then be put in your emergency fund. There may not be expenses in your budget you can get rid of, but you can significantly cut the cost of them. For example, consider finding a lower car insurance rate or switch phone providers.

4. Extra Money

There are usually jobs that you can pick up on the side to make extra money. You can even make earning money fun. Ideas to consider include having a yard sale or a bake sale. You could also create an online store to sell items that you don’t need. Money that you make can be put aside for any emergencies that arise.

There’s usually no way to determine when an emergency will occur. However, you can be prepared at any time of the year if you have at least a small savings account in place. When you have enough money in your emergency fund, you can then set aside money for the things that you enjoy so that you have enough money for what you want to do for fun and for what you need.