Just realized my dad was right about paying myself first, and it took a $2,100 truck repair to prove it
When I got my first real job at 19, my dad told me to put 10 percent of every check into a savings account I could not touch, and I laughed at him because I was broke and wanted new tires. For 6 years I ignored that advice and lived check to check, usually with about $200 left by the time Friday hit. Then last month the transmission in my daily driver quit on me, and the shop quoted $2,100 that I did not have. I put the repair on a credit card at 24 percent interest, and now I am paying $180 a month for something a boring savings habit would have covered. I finally opened that account last week and set up a $60 auto transfer from every paycheck. My dad just said "told you" and went back to his garage. How much do you all keep in your emergency fund before you feel safe?