You just never know when something could go wrong in life that requires you to dip into your household budget to work through. For most households, the money you have budgeted is allotted for other necessary expenses, meaning, if you have to foot the bill of an unplanned circumstance, it could result in other bills going unpaid or the need to borrow the money, generating more debt. The best solution is to work diligently towards creating a rainy day fund so that when problems do arise, you’re able to handle it without missing a beat.

The only issue is, most people feel that they’re already stretched so thin with their day to day bills, that they can’t find the additional funds to set aside. Though it can be difficult at times to see how you can stretch your budget any further, there are some things you can do to save money to add to your rainy day fund. Here are a few to try:

Sell Things

Over a lifetime, people have a tendency to collect things that they really don’t have any more use for. Do a survey of your home and look for things you no longer use. This could be anything from clothing, toys, and used furniture to electronics and rundown cars that are no longer running. There are service providers that can make selling things easier. For example, The Clunker Junker offers cash for cars in Atlanta and other service areas. You could easily get a few hundred bucks for a car you really can’t use. Other options are mobile applications like LetGo, which can be used to easily sell unwanted items to customers in the area.

Share Subscription Services

Many service providers, particularly those in the subscription service categories realize the importance of affordability. As such, they are making it more affordable for individuals to share the cost of services with friends and family. Look for cell phone packages, online streaming services, and more that allow you to add other users to your account for a small fee. Then, split the cost of the services with those you trust and add the savings to an interest-bearing account.

Shop Off-Season

Though looking for coupons and deals can seem like the best option for purchasing things you want, there are some more affordable ways to go about it. By shopping when the products and services you want are considered off-season off-peak, you can save a ton of money. If you need summer clothes, go shopping for them in the winter when you’ll find most things on the clearance rack. If you need to have your heat serviced, do it in the summer when everyone else is focused on repairing their air conditioner. Need to move? Try moving in the winter or during the week when moving dates are less popular.

Open a Flexible Spending Account

One of the biggest costs to families outside of housing and living expenses is healthcare. Even those who have adequate health insurance may be required to pay out of pocket expenses including copays, prescriptions, and specialized medical treatment. To save money on your taxes and health-related costs, a flexible spending account could be an option. This is a savings account in which pre-taxed dollars are deposited into. This money can be used throughout the year to cover the cost of anything from copays and prescriptions to braces and eyeglasses and can save you immensely.

Saving money for a rainy day is the best way to ensure that you don’t fall behind on day to day bills, and more importantly, that you don’t fall further into debt. If you believe there isn’t any wiggle room in your budget to dedicate to a rainy day fund, these ideas can certainly help. By finding ways to save on things you need and use frequently, you can take the cash you would have spent on these things and add it to a savings account. A few months of diligence and you’ll have a nice nest egg to fall back on for whatever may come your way.

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