how do you cope with unexpected emergencies without an emergency fund?

culpepper

Flamingo you might be able to sell the parts that remain on your old washer if you still have it. The motor for example . Someone might just buy the whole machine to get the parts that still work.
Our machine went in exactly that way and we were lucky because someone on freecycle had a same make machine where there motor was broken and they had already bought a new one so we had their old one and just used our working motor to mend it.

Ellieseleven

I managed to build up a good emergency fund of £1000 by squirreling away all my change (and OH's) every day and religiously depositing everything that I saved in to a saving account on a weekly basis.

I also stock up our cupboards and two freezers with food so that we are able to get by without going to the supermarket if we really need to...

Since just before Christmas we have had so many things go wrong or stop working (car, cat, boiler!) that our emergency fund has been totally wiped out and we are currently managing on next to nothing. We are now working our way through the food and it has lasted two weeks so far (with probably another 2 weeks worth to go at).

My car has another fault today and I have not been able to drive to work but can at least work from home. This could be very costly (electrics which my local garage may or may not be able to resolve, so may have to go to a main dealer!) I am lucky that my parents will help us out but I try so hard not to have to ask them. They are fantastic and never bat an eye when we ask, their answer is always "Well it will be yours one day" but that doesn't make me feel any better.

We are on a DMP so have no access to any credit etc. and I have to say that this has been the worst period of my life whilst on the DMP as there has been a never ending almost daily list of things going wrong. I'm usually quite an upbeat person and look on the bright side of most things but lately I just feel so consumed and helpless!

Anyway, I am still trying to kickstart my emergency fund once more and have to say that even though it's all gone at the moment, it would have been so much worse if I hadn't put anything aside.

Ellie xx