20 Ways to Bulk Up Your Emergency Funds

We will start the new year with the basics, and nothing is more basic in many survival situations than having an emergency fund(s).  Note that you should have three actual emergency funds--the cash you carry in your wallet (#1), the cash you have in your home (#2), and the money you have in a separate account in your bank (#3).

Your first emergency fund should be anything from an extra $20 in your wallet to an extra $500.  Obviously the more money the better as this cash can cover most basic emergencies that you would run into in your day-to-day life.  Your second emergency fund should be from $1000 to $10,000 in cash that you keep at home.  Again, this can cover everything from an emergency car repair to a busted hot water tank, to a short layoff from work.  Your third emergency fund should be enough money to cover six month's to a year's worth of bills and living expenses for you and the family (great for a long-term illness, long-term lay off, or disaster that totally wipes out your home/town/place of employment/etc).

And here are some quick ways to build up your emergency funds:

1. Get a second job; work this job until all funds are set then quit.
2. Work seasonal or side gigs as they become available.
3. Drive for Uber or Lyft in your spare time.
4. Ask for a raise and put any income above your current salary into your emergency funds.
5. Fill up your emergency funds with one-time or unexpected money (a tax refund, an inheritance, utility refunds, etc).
6. Start a side business.  From dog walking to computer repair to selling your art at farmer's markets, all side business money can be directed to your emergency funds.
7. Sell plasma at the local blood bank.
8. Do small online jobs for money (Mechanical Turk, Fiverr, surveys, etc).
9. Lower your usual monthly bills and save the difference (find a cheaper insurance carrier, cut cable, etc).
10. Work overtime or premium shifts at work and put your extra earnings into your emergency funds.
11. Sell stuff you no longer need at a garage sale, via Craigslist, etc.
12. Deliver food (Uber Eats, pizza, etc), or deliver packages (for Amazon).
13. Resell stuff at swap meets, EBay, etc
14. Rent things out such as your home or a room in your home (Air BnB) or car (Turo).
15. Babysit/pet sit/house sit/etc.
16. Do basic handyman jobs on the weekend (senior neighborhoods are especially good to target for these jobs).
17. Make money with apps.
18. Write and sell e-books, create viral videos, etc.
19. Invent new products, create and sell items on Etsy, create t shirts and sell them on Teespring, etc.
20. Considering doing some of these interesting side hustles.