Step four might surprise you.
I want you to start an emergency savings account and your goal is to save an initial $1,000. Yes, you read that right.
Why would I tell you to put money into savings when you’re trying to pay down debt? It’s not like the interest you earn is going to be more than the interest you’re paying, right?
Because, if you don’t have a savings account to fall back on, you’ll be back in debt the next time you’re blindsided by an unexpected repair or medical bill. Life happens. If you don’t have money in the bank, how will you pay for the surprises it brings? With a credit card or a loan? It’s a bad habit, and it’s better to start breaking it now rather than later.
Just like your debt didn’t happen overnight, your emergency savings isn’t going to happen overnight, either.
1. Make a plan to save money from each paycheck.
2. Start small with $5 per week and increase over time.
3. Remember to pay savings first (and automatically) before you pay the bills.
You can put money in savings automatically through your payroll department. If you don’t have a direct deposit service through work, you can set it up with automatic transfers at the bank.
As I said, start small and work your way up. The ideal goal is to put 10% of your income into savings. But first, start with the emergency fund so the little emergencies don’t discourage you from your quest of paying down your debt
Next issue: We will actually start paying off your debt – bet you thought we wouldn’t get to this.
One way to “find” money is by plugging the leaks in your spending. You’ll take back that wasted cash and put it where it can do some good. To do this, you need to know where your money is going, and that means tracking your spending. For more information on how to do this, 
Now total the columns.
It’s Hurricane Season! At least it will be on June 1st on the Atlantic side. That gives you 2 weeks to plan your strategy – just in case.
4. Charge your cell phones. Assume you’ll be without electricity for a few days. After the storm, use your phone sparingly.
8. Prepare your food pantry. If you are staying in place, make sure you have non-perishable food and water (and a manual can opener). Non-perishable means boxed or canned – they last longer than fresh foods or foods that require refrigeration. Don’t buy items that require milk, eggs, or cheese to prepare. If they’re pre-cooked, that’s even better – they might taste better heated, but it’s not necessary. Buying non-perishables is something you can do right now. Stores sell out fast, so it’s good to have your prepper foods before the hurricane is spotted.
10. Cash! When power outages happen, credit card and ATM machines may not work. Hurricanes bring widespread power outages, downed trees and flooding. It might not be easy (or possible) to drive far enough to find a store or bank that still has electricity.
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You should check your credit report three times a year to check for accuracy and identity theft. (Go through 
For example, when you open a bank account with a new bank, they want to see your check writing history. Or, when you want to switch insurance companies, they want to see what claims you have filed. You can view those same reports to see if anyone has written checks or requested claims in your name. You can get a statement from your health insurance company once a year to compare to your information to what is on file. That means you may be able to catch medical identity theft early. Otherwise you wouldn’t know who is using your identity for medical theft until your insurance company declines a claim because they previously paid for it. You can do the same for prescriptions too.
I’ll add a video here each day in April. The newest video will be on top. Scroll down for all budgeting tips you can handle!