July 15, 2025
AAR06 - Emergency Funds 101
The Investing for Beginners Podcast - Your Path to Financial FreedomAbout this episode
In this episode of 'At Any Rate,' host Evan Raidt and guest Andrew Sather discuss the often overlooked but crucial topic of emergency funds in personal finance. Evan shares the importance of budgeting as the foundational step towards financial stability and explains why emergency funds are necessary despite not providing immediate returns. He highlights the alarming statistic that 60% of Americans cannot afford a $1,000 emergency and elaborates on why having an emergency fund can prevent individuals from falling into debt. The discussion also covers ideal places to keep your emergency fund, such as high-yield savings accounts and health savings accounts (HSAs), and offers practical advice on setting up and maintaining these funds. Finally, the conversation touches on the psychological benefits of financial preparedness and the steps to take if you need to rebuild your emergency fund after using it. 00:00 Introduction and Episode Overview 00:41 The Importance of Budgeting 02:45 Understanding Emergency Funds 08:04 Where to Keep Your Emergency Fund 17:16 How Much to Save in Your Emergency Fund 26:54 Automation and Emergency Fund Management 32:17 Conclusion and Final Thoughts Timestamps are generated by artificial intelligence, and are not 100% accurate depending on the platform used for listening. Today’s show is sponsored by: Go to SHOPIFY.COM/beginners to start selling with Shopify today. Get your summer savings and shop premium wireless plans at MintMobile.com/beginners Stop needlessly overpaying for car insurance. Drivers who save with Jerry save over $1,300 a year on average. Download the Jerry app at Jerry dot AI slash Beginners Squeeze the most out of your Summer with Liquid I.V. Tear. Pour. Live More. Go to LIQUID-IV DOT COM and get 20% off your first order with code INVESTING at checkout. What do Dave and Andrew recommend? Our #1 recommended stock research platform is FinChat (now Fiscal.ai). Get 2 weeks access for free using our link (no card required): fiscal.ai/ifb Andrew works really hard to find the best insights he can every single month at Value Spotlight . To see a sample of his previous work, go to stockwriteup.com . Have questions? Send them to Evan at evan@einvestingforbeginners.com SUBSCRIBE TO THE SHOW Apple | Spotify | YouTube | Amazon | Tunein Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices