Beware the Ides of March: Emergency $$$

Et tu Brute?
Not all emergencies are Hollywood natural disasters, zombie apocalypses, or extreme weather. Sometimes, it might just be karma or dumb luck that puts an individual or family into an emergency situation where they have no employment, which leads to no money, and eventually no food or peace of mind.
In addition to having a supply of food, water, and other essentials, sometimes we need to have a storage of liquid cash, as well as a budget in place that helps us prepare for emergencies like unemployment or sickness.
I remember well the young couple days, two small children, trying to finish a degree, and working two to three jobs just to make ends meet. Not a lot of of room left in the budget for savings or emergencies. Fortunately, we had friends and family that were there, and there were no emergencies, but over the years, we have set aside enough liquid cash to get us through a month or two of whatever Fate throws in our path. You can do the same.
This month's area message from the NSL Legacy Stake is on Making a Family Budget.
You do not have to be a member of the LDS Church to benefit from a budget.
Follow the link to learn more. Here are two very important things to consider:

• A budget needs to be something that is written down.
• Make sure your budget includes paying yourself (that liquid cash for emergencies).

Remember that most banks and credit unions have budgeting tools available for free. They can assist in determining where money is being spent, where cuts can be made in current spending, and where savings can be found.
A simple budget worksheet can be found here. Another great resource is a pamphlet the church put out many years ago called One for the Money. In addition to having a budget worksheet, what really helped my wife and I was the Debt Elimination Calendar. Check it out if you have credit card or other debt that you need to get rid of to be better prepared for an emergency.
Good luck!