Disaster-Proofing Your Finances: A Key Piece of Your Emergency Plan
When we think about preparing for emergencies, like hurricanes, wildfires, or power outages, we often rush to stock up on bottled water, flashlights, and non-perishable food. While these are essential items to have on hand, there’s another side of emergency planning that often gets overlooked: your finances.
Related Topics
When we think about preparing for emergencies, like hurricanes, wildfires, or power outages, we often rush to stock up on bottled water, flashlights, and non-perishable food. While these are essential items to have on hand, there’s another side of emergency planning that often gets overlooked: your finances.
Disaster-proofing your finances is just as important as having an emergency kit. In fact, it can be the difference between quickly recovering or struggling to get back on your feet.
Financial preparedness is a form of protection for yourself, your loved ones, and your future. Here's why having a financial plan in place matters, and how to get started.
Why Financial Preparedness Matters in Emergencies
In a crisis, access to money and important financial documents can help you:
- Pay for hotel stays or food if you're displaced
- Cover out-of-pocket costs like gas, medications, or repairs
- Contact insurance companies and file claims quickly
- Avoid missing payments and damaging your credit
- Reduce stress when time and resources are limited
Emergencies don’t always give advance notice. A storm may knock out power or flood your home. You might need to evacuate quickly and leave important paperwork behind. But if you’ve taken the time to disaster-proof your finances, you’ll be better equipped to respond with confidence and clarity.
What Financial Preparedness Looks Like
It starts with two key areas: Organization and Access.
Use our downloadable Emergency Financial Preparedness Checklist to guide you. It includes:
- Important documents to store securely (and take with you if needed)
- How much cash to keep on hand (and where)
- A digital plan for accessing your financial accounts if systems are down
- A backup savings strategy, so you're not starting from scratch in a crisis
Even having just $500 in emergency savings can make a huge difference when unexpected costs come your way. If you're not there yet, that’s okay—starting small and saving consistently is the key.
Automate + Backup = Financial Peace of Mind
A smart way to build and protect your emergency savings is to:
- Automate your savings through your paycheck or bank account
- Keep your emergency fund in a safe, accessible place like a high-yield savings or money market account
- Revisit your financial emergency plan every 6–12 months to keep it up to date
Think of it this way: Just as you wouldn’t wait until a hurricane warning to stock up on batteries, don’t wait for a financial emergency to prepare your wallet.
Ready to Get Started?
Download the Emergency Financial Preparedness Checklist and walk through it step-by-step. Then, set a reminder to review your plan regularly.
And if you’re already a Saver—great! Use your savings goal as a guide for building your emergency fund. Not a Saver yet? Take the America Saves Pledge to get tips, support, and resources to stay on track.
Remember: Emergencies are stressful. But being prepared financially can help you stay calm, make confident decisions, and recover faster. You've got this!
Want help building your emergency fund or automating your savings? Check out our free tools and tips at AmericaSaves.org.
Tell Us Your Saver Story!
Have you ever had to rely on your emergency savings during a disaster, unexpected expense, or crisis? Or maybe you’re just getting started with building your emergency fund and want to share what’s working for you.
We want to hear from you! Your story can inspire others to start preparing financially for the unexpected.
Submit your Saver Story here and help others see what’s possible when you make a plan and stick to it.
Check out these related insights!
08.14.2025 By Amy Miller, AFC®
Know Where to Turn: Finding Trusted Resources in an Emergency or Disaster
08.05.2025 By Amy Miller, AFC©
Your First $500: A Beginner’s Guide to Building an Emergency Fund
08.08.2024 By Amelia Simons
How To Create A Strong Financial Safety Net With an Emergency Fund
Related Tags
CHECK OUT OTHER SAVINGS JOURNEYS FROM SAVERS JUST LIKE YOU
Coping With A Job Loss
By Aimee Shaffer
Aimee Shaffer worked as a Public Service News Director for radio for years until one day her employer downsized the company, resulting in hundreds of lost jobs, including Aimee’s.
Saving Early: Key to Successful Future
By Johnnie Lovett
For Johnnie Lovett, a Young Illinois Saver, saving has been a habit since he was a teenager. “As a teenag...
Saving With My Boys
By Kelly
Kelly has made saving a family effort. She started her boys saving early. “Probably 3,” Kelly told us, “w...
Saving for a Bright Future
By Kristin Hendricks
Kristin Hendricks, a single mother from Texas, understands the importance of saving money and following a...
Put 20 Percent Away
By Melissa
“I am a single mother, and I make ends meet for me and my daughter, but I wanted to put money away for my...
Put 20 Percent Away
By Melissa
“I am a single mother, and I make ends meet for me and my daughter, but I wanted to put money away for my daughter for a college fund. So I started saving 20 percent of my paycheck every month to put it away in a savings account with a high Annual Percentage Yield (APY). By the time my daughter is 18, I will have saved nearly $90,000.”
Saving is a Family Affair
By Jeff
Saving is truly a family affair for Jeff’s household. During America Saves Week 2019, he pledged to save ...
Jump-Starting a Financial Makeover
By Nichelle Johnson
Nichelle Johnson, a single mom with two teenage children, knows what it’s like to stretch a dollar. When ...
Saving With My Boys
By Kelly
Kelly has made saving a family effort. She started her boys saving early. “Probably 3,” Kelly told us, “w...
A Think Like A Saver Attitude
By Melissa
Melissa has always been thrifty with a #ThinkLikeASaver attitude. This served her family well when her hu...
Saver Story: Set a Goal, Make a Plan!
By Shannon
We've chosen Shannon as our Saver of the Month! Her approach to saving for her family’s dream home is a great example of how #ThinkingLikeASaver can look different for everyone, but has great payoffs and rewards.
Budget like Nohemi
By Nohemi
Nohemi found out about America Saves a few years ago as an undergraduate at the University of Illinois at...
Taking Steps Toward Financial Fitness
By Nicky Vasquez
Nicky Vasquez learned about Virginia Saves when she attended her first class with Bank On Virginia Beach....
The Gift of Homeownership
By Quaneka Willis
Quaneka Willis, a single mother of three children, was receiving rental assistance through the Housing Au...
Saving With My Boys
By Kelly
Kelly has made saving a family effort. She started her boys saving early. “Probably 3,” Kelly told us, “w...
Saver Story: Set a Goal, Make a Plan!
By Shannon
We've chosen Shannon as our Saver of the Month! Her approach to saving for her family’s dream home is a great example of how #ThinkingLikeASaver can look different for everyone, but has great payoffs and rewards.
A Think Like A Saver Attitude
By Melissa
Melissa has always been thrifty with a #ThinkLikeASaver attitude. This served her family well when her husband lost his job in 2014. Using their savings, Melissa’s family stayed afloat while her husband found a new job.
Starting and Continuing a Savings Journey
By Kiara Hardin
When Kiara Hardin, now a junior at Western Illinois University, became an intern with the Chicago Summer Business Institute during her sophomore year of high school, she began her savings journey.
Budget like Nohemi
By Nohemi
Nohemi found out about America Saves a few years ago as an undergraduate at the University of Illinois at...
Saving With My Boys
By Kelly
Kelly has made saving a family effort. She started her boys saving early. “Probably 3,” Kelly told us, “w...
Put 20 Percent Away
By Melissa
“I am a single mother, and I make ends meet for me and my daughter, but I wanted to put money away for my...
Saving is a Family Affair
By Jeff
Saving is truly a family affair for Jeff’s household. During America Saves Week 2019, he pledged to save ...
Inspired to Build Savings By Starting Small
By Sharon
With little-to-no money in the bank and living on a limited income with her adult daughter, Sharon wasn’t sure if building up savings for her future was even possible.
Getting Out of Debt
By Tonya Shelton
In 2004, Tonya Shelton was facing financial ruin. Barely making more than minimum wage and having lost he...
Taking Back Control Over Finances
By Nadine Bialo
After becoming a Virginia Saver and getting help from BankOn classes and coaching, Nadine Bialo took back...
Developing a Savings "Game Plan"
By Eunice Diaz
Eunice Diaz, a teacher in Colorado Springs, had been noticing a pattern. Despite the fact that she and he...
From Overwhelmed to In Control
By Debi
In 2017 Debi felt overwhelmed. Her credit cards were maxed, and she wasn't exactly sure how to handle it....
Savings #ImSavingForSweepstakes
#ImSavingFor Winner Story
By Pedram R.
America Saves awarded one lucky saver, Pedram R. from California, $750 for sharing his #ImSavingFor story. Pedram said, “Saving is important to me because it proves I am not willing to buy unnecessary things to please others or to be perceived as successful.”
Saving is a Family Affair
By Jeff
Saving is truly a family affair for Jeff’s household. During America Saves Week 2019, he pledged to save for retirement. But making a commitment and creating a plan to save isn’t a new concept for him.
If we feature you in our newsletter, you get $50.
You May Also Be Interested In...
Take the America saves pledge
Make a pledge to yourself and create a simple savings plan that works. Complete the Pledge and America Saves will send you short email and text reminders, resources and tips to keep you on track towards your savings goal. Become part of an entire community of savers. Get started now!
creative ways to fund your savings
Those with a savings plan are twice as likely to save successfully. Taking the America Saves Pledge is a pledge to yourself to start a savings journey and America Saves is here to encourage you along the way. Take the first step toward creating a better financial future. Make a plan, set a goal, and pledge to yourself to start saving, today.

Congrats on completing the pledge!
Take the America Saves Pledge
Make a pledge to yourself and create a simple savings plan that works.